Cycling trip instilled confidence in teenager.

What did you do during your summer vacation? 

“Oh,. I worked and went to the beach.” 
“I hitch-hiked to Montreal.”
“I flew to Vancouver.”

And so on and so on. But, if you’d asked eighteen year old Paul Dugas what he did during his summer holidays, you wouldn’t believe it.

2,200 miles in 19 days

Paul, son of Mr. and Mrs. Romeo Dugas, cycled his “just a regular, nothing fancy, ten-speed bike” from St. Boniface to Dugas Office, New Brunswick, a distance of approximately 2,200 miles, in just 19 days worth of pedalling this summer.

Dugas Office is located near Grande Anse, along the Bay of Chaleur. The Dugas family had settled there many, many years ago, when they started up a post office.

What are the odds?…

“You see,” Paul explained, “I had been to New Brunswick before and had thought that the next time I went, I would like to do the trip by bike. I bounced the idea off of a lot of people who said there was no way I’d be able to make it. I said, “Yes, I could”, and finally decided to take the trip.”

Paul said, for him, the trip would prove who was right and who was wrong. .”I was never involved in sports in high school so this was quite a challenge for me . . . both physically and mentally. Now, (after finishing the trip) I’m more sure of myself and my thoughts . . . I feel more secure now in making decisions.”

Paul said that as far as conditioning for the 2,200 mile trip went, mental conditioning was more important than physical conditioning. “You see, you are all alone and you have to keep on going and whether it’s raining or very cold. You `ve got to keep on pushing. I regarded it as a challenge and took it in stride.”

A bear cub on the highway.

As far as the trip itself, Paul happily reported he met no hassles except a bear the first night out. The people I met were all very nice. I think they’re nicer to cyclists than regular tourists because they see the cyclist is facing more of a challenge and respect him for that.”

Future plans for Paul include a possible canoe trip and dreams of owning a scientifically based farm in the country. As a rule, Paul now believes no person should let anyone discourage you of any of your plans you think are right until you try them out.”

Good advice from someone who has followed it, don`t you think.

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In English | en français

2,200 miles by bicycle

July 14, 1976, by Paul-Arthur Landry

A young cycling enthusiast has just travelled a distance of 2,200 miles in 19 days on his 10-speed bicycle. 

Young Paul Dugas, who just turned 18, defied popular opinion and rode his bicycle from St. Boniface, Manitoba, where he lives, to Dugas Office, near Grande-Anse in northeastern New Brunswick, where his uncle Adelbert Dugas lives.

When L’Evangeline representatives met him, young Dugas was visibly proud of his achievement. He recounted that most people – 9 out of 10, he said – discouraged him from undertaking the journey, claiming it would be impossible for him to complete it.

A likeable, outspoken philosopher

Young Dugas, who is very likeable, outspoken and a bit of a philosopher, concluded from his experience that the voice of the majority was not always the right one, and that in future, he would depend much more on his own.

During his long journey, Dugas didn’t face any major problems. He had initially estimated that it would take him thirty-two days to complete his journey, whereas he actually managed it in only 19. He even arrived ahead of his parents, who had left two weeks later by bus but had to turn back because of mechanical problems.

Dugas says that what he considers to have been one of the most important factors in this experience was the opportunity to “rebuild” his muscles and condition himself physically after 12 years of school. But he feels that the experience has been even more valuable mentally.

Easy you say?

It’s not always easy, however, to undertake such a journey, with a bicycle as the only means of locomotion. He believes it was his natural optimism that helped him the most.

But as well as being friendly, eloquent, philosophical and optimistic, Paul Dugas also has a keen sense of observation. Travelling from St-Boniface to Dugas Office, he noted, among other things, that the further he travelled towards the east of Canada and away from the major centers, the more welcoming the people became.

Paul Dugas is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Roméo Dugas of St-Boniface. He has completed grade 12 and will now work as a waiter in a fine dining restaurant, as he did during his vacations. Above all, he can’t wait to get back home and show his friends a copy of the newspaper in hand as tangible proof that he really succeeded in his trek.

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In English

2,200 milles en bicyclette

le 14 juillet 1976, par Paul-Arthur Landry

Un jeune amateur de cyclisme vient de parcourir une distance de 2,200 milles en 19 jours avec sa bicyclette 10 vitesses. 

En effet, le jeune Paul Dugas, qui vient tout juste d’avoir 18 ans, a bravé l’opinion de la majorité et s’est aventuré, avec sa bicyclette, de St-Boniface, au Manitoba, où il demeure, jusqu’à Dugas Office, près de Grande-Anse dans le Nord-Est du Nouveau-Brunswick où demeure son oncle Adelbert Dugas.

Lorsque les représentants de “l’evengeline” l’ont rencontré, le jeune Dugas était visiblement fier de son exploit. Il a raconté que la majorité des gens – 9 personnes sur 10, dit-il l’ont découragé d’ entreprendre ce périple. alléguant qu’il lui serait impossible de compléter le voyage.

Un philosophe sympathique qui parle beaucoup

Le jeune Dugas, qui est très sympathique, qui parle beaucoup et qui est un brin philosophe, en a conclu de son expérience que la voix de la majorité n’était pas toujours la bonne et qu’à l’avenir, il dépendra beaucoup plus de son opinion.

Durant son long voyage, Dugas n’a pas fait face à de gros problèmes. Il avait initialement estimé à trente-deux le nombre de jours qu’il prendrait à effectuer son
voyage, alors qu’il n ‘en a pris que 19. Il est même arrivé avant ses parents, qui eux, étaient partis deux semaines plus tard en autobus mais qui ont dû rebrousser chemin à cause de problèmes mécaniques.

Dugas a raconté que le facteur qu’il considère avoir été l’un des plus importants dans cette expérience a été de pouvoir *’refaire’ ses muscles et se conditionner physiquement après 12 années passées sur les bancs de l’école. Mais il estime cependant que cette expérience lui a été encore plus valable mentalement.

Pas facile

Ce n’est toutefois pas toujours facile que d’entreprendre un pareil voyage, avec comme seul moyen de locomotion, une bicyclette. Il considère que c’est son grand optimisme naturel qui l’a plus aidé.

Mais en plus d’être sympathique, éloquent, philosophe et optimiste, Paul Dugas a aussi un grand sens de l’observation. En voyageant de St-Boniface vers Dugas Office, il a noté entre autre que plus il se dirigeait vers l’Ėst du Canada et hors des grands centres, plus les gens étaient accueillants.

Paul Dugas est le fils de M. et Mme Roméo Dugas de St-Boniface. Il a terminé sa douzième année et travaillera désormais comme garçon de table dans un restaurant chic, comme il l’a fait durant ses vacances. Il a surtout hâte d ‘être de retour chez-lui pour montrer à ses amis, copie du journal en main, qu’il a une preuve tangible qu ‘il a réellement réussi à accomplir son projet.

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