70-Year-Old Cycling 2,500 Miles from Canada to Mexico to Benefit Charity Amistad Canada
go to original September 20, 2015

Biciclo (Kat Ger)

Not many people kick off their eighth decade with a 2,500 mile cycling adventure, but that’s John Murtaugh’s big birthday goal. He wants to raise at least $25,000 to support Amistad Canada’s projects with CASA.

Murtaugh was inspired by the documentary film CICLO, which tells the story of two Mexican brothers – Arturo and Gustavo Martinez – who cycled from Mexico City to Toronto back in 1956. They remained in Canada, married and raised their families there. Several years ago, filmmaker Andrea Martinez Crowther persuaded her father (Arturo) and uncle (Gustavo) to retrace their journey. And she made a film about it. After seeing the film, Murtaugh, who is himself an experienced long-distance cyclist, decided to take the same trip, but in reverse. Hence BI-CICLO.

It makes sense that John’s destination in Mexico is San Miguel de Allende and that the money raised by way of his bike-ride will support Amistad’s projects with CASA (Centro Para Adolescentes de San Miguel de Allende). Amistad Canada was founded in 2009 as a successor organization to Canadians for CASA, which itself was founded in the 1980s by John Murtaugh’s late mother-in-law, Aileen Harris, and was later run by his late wife, Elizabeth Harris.

Funds raised by the ride will be used to support projects that Amistad has underway with CASA, in which it contributes to the salaries of three CASA staff members: a Clinical Coordinator in its School of Midwifery, the Library Coordinator and one of the psychologists on its Anti-Violence team. If John meets his target, the $25,000 will pay for those three salary-contributions for an entire year.

The following links will tell you lots more about this inspiring event:

    • Bi-Ciclo home
    • John Murtaugh’s Bio
    • Bi-Ciclo Donation Thermometer
    • Bi-Ciclo Event Calendar
    • Bi-Ciclo Sponsors
    • Map of John’s Journey
    • Bi-Ciclo Facebook Group

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