Cross Canada walker finishes first lap of expedition
For immediate release
November 6, 2008: On Saturday November 8, a Prince George forester will complete the first section of an epic walk across Canada on the Trans Canada Trail. Dana Meise will reach Becaguimic Park in Hartland, New Brunswick at 11:30 a.m., where he will be greeted by the President and CEO of the Trans Canada Trail Deborah Apps, New Brunswick Trails Council Executive Director Poul Jorgensen, along with trail group members and friends who will be on hand to celebrate Meise’s remarkable 2630-kilometre journey.
Meise started his expedition on May 6 at Cape Spear, Newfoundland at the Trans Canada Trail’s Atlantic terminus. Since then, he has walked 186 days across Newfoundland, PEI, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, exploring the country’s diverse landscape, experiencing the richness of Maritime culture and talking with people about the communities where they live. Meise is walking from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean on the Trans Canada Trail, a journey that will take until 2010-11 to complete. He plans to walk spring, summer and fall each year, working winter months in Prince George.
“Since I was a small boy and read about the great Canadian explorers like David Thompson and Alexander Mackenzie, I have always wanted to explore,” says 34-year-old Meise. “I was inspired to undertake this expedition by my father and his passion for walking – something he can no longer do as a result of a stroke a number of years ago. It is in this great tradition of spirit and life that I am walking the Trans Canada Trail. The Trail to me is the modern equivalent of the great push west for furs and exploration, like the Trans Canada railway and the Trans Canada Highway. Each of these served to unify this great country in their time, as the Trans Canada Trail is doing today. This Trail is helping us focus on our heritage and the beauty of our country that must be preserved from one community to another.”
Deborah Apps, Trans Canada Trail President and CEO, has nothing but admiration for Meise and what he has accomplished to date. “He has walked 25 to 45 kilometres each day, crossing four provinces on the scenic coastal trails, rugged backcountry trails, accessible urban trails and well-groomed rail trails which are all part of the Trans Canada Trail. He is inspiring many Canadians to learn about Canada and get out and use the Trail for recreation with friends and family.”
Poul Jorgensen says NB Trails Council is proud to have the opportunity to celebrate Meise’s 2008 accomplishments. “Dana is a real champion of trails and is doing a lot to promote the Trans Canada Trail and the many scenic trails across New Brunswick such as the Fundy Trail, Saint John’s Harbour Passage, City of Fredericton Trail and the Trail in Hartland with the world’s longest covered bridge. We are delighted to welcome him this weekend as he completes the first lap of his journey. We will be back in the Spring to wish him well as he starts lap two, heading west to Quebec and beyond.”
Meise will make a presentation about his walk at the Council’s 2008 Symposium and Annual General Meeting, being held in Florenceville on Saturday November 8.
Media representatives and supporters are invited to:
- Join the welcome ceremonies at Becaguimic Park in Hartland, New Brunswick on Saturday November 8 at 11:30 a.m.
- Attend Dana Meise’s presentation at the 2008 NB Trail Council’s Symposium at the Florenceville Motor Inn on Saturday November 8 from 2:00-2:30 p.m.
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For more information, please contact:
Jane Craig, TCT Director of Communications, jcraig@tctrail.ca, (647) 637-5331
Jane Murphy, NB Trails Council, janemurphy@sentiernbtrail.com (506) 543-1635
The Trans Canada Trail is a national recreation trail that will extend 21,500 kilometres from the Atlantic to the Pacific to the Arctic Oceans, linking 1,000 communities and 33 million Canadians. It will be the world’s longest recreation trail. Today approximately 70 percent of the trail has been built and is being used by millions of Canadians to hike, cycle, cross-country ski, canoe, horseback ride and snowmobile. The Trail is supported by the federal government (Canadian Heritage), provincial and municipal governments, corporations, local businesses and individual Canadians. (See www.tctrail.ca)
The New Brunswick Trails Council Inc. is a non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion and advancement of non-motorized trail in New Brunswick. It is responsible for the registration and development of Trans Canada Trail in New Brunswick. (See www.sentiernbtrail.com)
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