Macleod's Member of Parliament should be in fighting shape by the time the federal election rolls around.

John Barlow and another Foothills cyclist will be biking all the way from the Crowsnest Pass to Bragg Creek in July to raise money for Camp Horizon. Each year 7,500 people enjoy Camp Horizon and of those 1,200 are children and adults with learning disabilities.

He says he got to visit it last year and realized it needed help.

"Last year I was looking for a way to bring the riding together and do something that would connect a lot of the communities, and nothing was really coming to mind at all," Barlow says. "Just before Christmas last year, I was invited to go out to Easter Seals Camp Horizon to take a tour of the renovations that were going on there. They'd taken on a substantial -renovation project—about $10 million to build two new residences or dorms and do some other upgrades."

Barlow says he had two "amazing" ladies, Megan and Elisa, show him around and he was struck by what the campers were dealing with when it came to two different dorms, one built in the late 60s and one new one. He says the contrast between the two was unbelievable and he felt compelled to help raise the money to complete the project.

He thought about bake sales or a charity hockey game but settled on the idea of cycling from the Crowsnest to Bragg creek, 100 kilometres per day for two days, and to have people makes pledges or to join in and gather their own pledges for the camp.

Barlow says he did a 50-K ride a while back with some friends in Forth MacLeod and did alright.

"I did the 50-kilometres without too much problem so I think I can make a 100 in one day and hopefully 200 in two days," he says. "I just need a really good bike seat, that's the biggest thing, something that's a little more comfortable on the back side."
The ride starts Fri. July 17 and ends Sat. July 18.

For more information, to pledge a rider or to register,visit http://goo.gl/UHqESv
For more information on Camp Horizon see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9u6cVB5wbo
Visit Camp Horizon’s website: http://www.easterseals.ab.ca/CampSite/EasterSealsCampHorizon.aspx

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