Autism Awareness Ride Message

Autism is not new, but it is a condition that is not very well-publicized or understood. My mission is to encourage local and national media attention on Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and its challenges so that the public gains information and awareness.

This is to help build the grassroots action working to improve the current situation experienced by people of all ages with ASD, as well as their families and communities.

My son Eric was diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder in 2005. At that time, it came as a great shock when we learned that autism is one of the leading child development disability issues facing parents today with a prevalence of 1 in 166 (or one child born every 20 minutes in North America ).

Eric’s difficulties have been an inability to develop speech, as well as erratic behaviour. This has delayed typical development and social interaction, both of which are common challenges for children with ASD. No one told us what to expect and so we knew nothing of the challenges autism would pose to our child and to us as a family.

The reason I am doing this ride is to help more people learn about autism, including the dramatic rise in reported cases. If people have more knowledge about ASD, then when they see a child with unusual behaviours or speech difficulties, they might consider the possibility of autism and be more understanding and helpful. Families of people with ASD really appreciate such understanding.

Autism is a life-long condition, but research has shown that very significant improvements are possible for most people with a combination of the following:

• Intensive behavioural intervention;
• Occupational therapy for sensory and physical challenges;
• Communication assistance and speech therapy; and
• Medical attention for a number of issues that are very common in ASD.

Although some progress has been made in parts of Canada to improve the lives of people with ASD and their families, far too many Canadians are still struggling to get any autism-related assistance. We lag behind the U.S. in terms of screening, diagnosis, effective treatment provision, and required research support. Canadians – including the public, families and caregivers, service providers, professionals, all levels of government and the scientific community – can all be of assistance through better awareness and understanding. There is a need for every voice to call upon our decision-makers to take action now to address the challenges faced by the autism community.

Thank you for your interest in Autism Spectrum Disorders and your participation in raising autism awareness.

Dan Powaschuk
Concerned father of a child with autism

 

   RideupforAutism.ca » the Motorcycle Expedition

In March of 2007, I’ll begin my “Ride up for Autism” to raise awareness about autism in Canada . I’ll be leaving from Regina , Saskatchewan , and my final destination will be the coastal town of Tuktoyaktuk in the Northwest Territories. Tuktoyaktuk lies on the edge of the Beaufort Sea, which borders the Arctic Ocean.

Why would anyone ride a motorcycle to the edge of the Arctic Ocean in March, you ask? The reason is simple – the last part of my ride will be a 190 kilometre stretch of ice road – that’s right, ice road! – going down the frozen Mackenzie River . Depending on the weather, this ice road is a “water road” after March, so if I want to make it to the edge of the Arctic , I have to do it before the ice break-up.

This will be a difficult task in Canada ’s harsh climate – especially since I will be covering some incredible distances and rough terrain on a motorcycle in the heart of winter. The round trip up to the Arctic Ocean and back will be about 8,500 kilometres. From my home in Regina, it is 2,850 kilometres to Whitehorse, Yukon. From there, I’ll go another 500 or so kilometres from Whitehorse to Dawson City, and more than 700 kilometres from Dawson City to Inuvik, Northwest Territories on the gravel Dempster Highway.

That’s where it gets tough! From Inuvik, I’ll ride my motorcycle a further 190 kilometres on the frozen Mackenzie River, where I’ll go down one of the east channels of the river to Kugmallit Bay on the Beaufort Sea . Next, I’ll finish the “Ride up for Autism” by heading out onto the ocean and across the sea ice to Tuktoyaktuk.

Then – weather permitting! – I’ll turn around and “Ride down for Autism” all the way back to Regina !

All along this 8,500 kilometre expedition, I’ll be working with friends in Regina to meet local media to help raise awareness for the challenges autism poses for my family and thousands of others across North America. 

Challenges on the Journey

I’m going to face many challenges during the 4,240 kilometre ride to the arctic – and more of the same on the 4,240 return trip!

Extreme cold: The biggest challenge will be keeping me and my motorcycle warm enough to operate day in and day out on the road. I am undertaking a series of summer and winter test rides that will let me work out the bugs and develop a system that should work for me. During the trip, I will be trying to park my bike in garages at night to avoid trouble starting it in the cold, but I will have cold start capabilities built into the bike (heat blanket and cold start ether injection). I will also be wearing a heated electrical suit to try to fend off the elements.

Weather and road conditions: If the weather is too cold, the wind chill will be too great for me to safely be on the road, and if my bike were to break down beyond my repair capabilities, I could be stranded in a dangerous situation.

The road surface is important. I am expecting to ride on snow-free asphalt roads for a good part of the way at normal traffic speed. Riding slower than traffic would pose an additional risk, because trucks that pass me on such a light motorcycle will create dangerous wind gusts. Icy roads will delay my progress, as I do not want the added risk of driving slowly in traffic, or sliding off the road. I will, however be prepared for some poor road conditions by being able to put on removable snow cleats or chains that will get me through any tough spots. Hopefully people on the road are prepared for seeing someone riding a motorcycle in March!

The 700 kilometre Dempster Highway gravel road section will be particularly challenging. This winter road is raised above the surrounding ground on a high gravel base to insulate it from melting into the permafrost during the summer months. This makes anyone on a motorcycle especially susceptible to wind gusts. As well, truck traffic will be heavy on this section of the trip, and I will have to take extra care. I am hoping to catch a lull in heavy-haul traffic by going before the ice road is in heavy demand before spring break-up.

The Mackenzie ice road: riding 190 kilometres (and back) on the frozen Mackenzie River is the highest-risk part of the “Ride up for Autism.” Part of the challenge will be to get good weather and road conditions for my run up to Tuktoyaktuk and back, because a sudden snowstorm could trap me somewhere between Tuktoyaktuk and Inuvik. That’s why I’ll be carrying extreme cold weather survival gear – I can’t expect anyone to come along and pick me up if I get caught in a snowstorm.

I’ll have to keep an eye out for polar bears, and I’ll be carrying a small air horn in case I have to stop anywhere along the way. My Stony Rapids test run made me all-to aware of the potential dangers posed by bears and wolves!

Winter testing will help me make final calculations, but I’m not too worried about fuel on the trip. My motorcycle should have a fuel range of excess of 500 kilometres with my tank and fuel pack. As well, most of my isolated fuel stops will be less than 350 kilometres apart on the trip. The last thing I want to do is run out of fuel in an isolated area, though, so there’s a bit of a risk involved.

I’m going to face a lot of challenges on my “Ride up for Autism,” but all of the hardship will be worth it if I can help raise autism awareness and improve the quality of life for my son Eric and other children like him.