Login
Login

Bill Message

Share my page

My Activity Tracking

361
kms

My target 300 kms

Supporting Canada’s Trail

The Trans Canada Trail is not just a trail. It's a 30,000-kilometre network that connects people and communities from coast to coast to coast.

I’m excited to join the Great Canadian Hike, a nationwide challenge to hike, bike, paddle or roll in support of the Trail.

From September 1 to 30, I’ll be logging my kilometres, contributing to the national goal of 100,000 kilometres in 30 days, while raising funds to help keep the Trail accessible, safe, and thriving — for everyone, now and for future generations.

You can sign up to participate, donate directly to my fundraising page, or share my campaign with your network to help spread the word.

Let’s be part of something great — together.

Please Help Me
Reach My Goal

Raised

$304

My Goal

$100

Select amount to donate

$25
$50
$75
$100
$
Donate

All payments are secure & encrypted

My Achievements

Added Profile Picture

Shared my page

1st Blog Post

5 Blog Posts

Created a Team

Sent Email

1st Donation

Thanked Donor

Donated to myself

50% Fundraising Goal

Achieved Fundraising Goal

Raised $500

Raised $750

Raised $1,000

1st KM Logged

10 Active Days

20 Active Days

30 Active Days

25% Distance Goal

50% Distance Goal

75% Distance Goal

Achieved Distance Goal

My Updates

The Penultimate Evening

Tuesday 29th Sep
Tomorrow marks the end of the 2026 edition of The Great Hike. The Victoria Trail Trekkers find themselves more than halfway across our most easterly province. The final push to cross the entire country of Canada is on. Back in the summer of 1980 I was traveling solo across Canada in a tired Toyota pickup that had developed a serious thirst for oil. I made it to the Port aux Basques ferry terminal and decided that, having come that far, I needed to make the crossing and set foot in Newfoundland. I had mail waiting for me in Corner Brook, addressed to me via “General Delivery”, and I wanted to collect it. Once I had done that I drove as far east as I could get, arriving at Cape Spear lighthouse on the easterly most point in Canada. I have only a couple of grainy photos to commemorate the occasion. By using a quick bit of digital editing I am able to place myself in the photo that shows I had reached this milestone. I never thought I’d ever get back to Cape Spear with its old lighthouse standing by the sea. But maybe tomorrow I will return, on foot, with all of you good Trekkers. I think we’ll make it!

Reflecting on the Great Hike

Monday 28th Sep
Today is Monday the 28th of September. The 28th of 30 days that make up The Great Hike of 2026.  The Adventure is nearly complete for another year. 

As the Victoria Trail Trekkers add more and more kilometres to their total, enough to nearly cross this great country, I am reminded of my own, solo, trip across Canada. I was 18 years old when I quit my job at Beaver Lumber, bought a used Toyota pickup, and headed east to see what I could see. 

I didn’t know how far I would go, I had no plan or specific goal. I was armed with a paper map, a few dollars in my bank account, and a book of postage stamps so I could stay in touch with family and friends back home in Victoria. 

I’m going to rummage on the basement to try to find my old photo album from the summer of 1980. Maybe I’ll have an historic image or two to share before this Hike is done. 

The Perfect Day

Monday 28th Sep
Today was the perfect Fall day to take a walk. The bright warm sunshine warmed my bare skin while the welcome shade of the forest provided a pleasant chill as I made my way around a couple of local lakes. It was the right sort of a day to pick up the pace and enjoy feeling the kilometres disappear quickly beneath my feet. Walking quickly brings me pleasure. But I find that a fast paced walk in the full heat of summer leaves me lathered in sweat. Earlier this year, after having to have 2 sets of hearing aids replaced due to sweat induced corrosion, I invested in a cheap solution - a headband. Yup, a good old fashioned terry towel headband that certainly had me thinking of the 1970’s and such famous folk as Jimi Hendrix, Keith Richards, and Olivia Newton John (in Grease). I don’t give off any such glamorous vibes as I hustle along the trail but I get great satisfaction in knowing that my 10 dollar scrap of material is protecting hearing aids that cost a lot more than my first car did! There’s only 3 more walking days left before The Great Hike is over. But, for now, it’s time to Keep On Truckin’ on a trail near you!

Point Zero (Victoria BC)

Saturday 26th Sep
This morning we experienced a momentous occasion. We gathered with some fellow walkers at Point Zero on Clover Point, the most westerly point of The Trans Canada Trail, to celebrate the 2026 Great Hike. 

Janis and Matt were there from The TransCanada Trail organization. They greeted us all warmly from their TCT tent and offered up swag of various types. Melanie Vogel was there to share stories and inspiration from her time on the TCT. Melanie was the first woman to complete a continuous hike of the entire TCT, finishing her adventure in November 2022. 

With just 4 more days left to complete the 2026 Great Hike this was a great opportunity to meet some fellow walkers and get ready to cross the finish line. 


Rain

Saturday 26th Sep
(it’s not really Saturday, not here on the West coast - it’s still Friday - but the website is run by folks ‘back east’ and it’s Saturday already for them I guess…)

Today was the first rainy day of The Great Hike for 2026. 

After a full summer of wearing minimal clothing and trying to stay cool, I faced the decision of choosing how many layers I needed to stay dry on our 10 kilometre walk. 

Today I chose poorly. It was dark and grey and  windy and wet when I was preparing for the walk. So on went the long pants. The long sleeved shirt. The boots with thicker socks. The hat and the fingerless gloves. 

We weren’t 2 kilometres in to the walk before I realized I was overdressed for the conditions. I had a choice: remove some layers to cool down and get soaked by the rain, or keep all the clothes on and be soaked by my own sweat. 

In the end it proved to be a bit of both. I needed a shower and dry clothes and a hot drink to get myself sorted out and comfortable once again when the walk was over. 

But regardless of my poor decision making, I was glad to be out on the trail today. 

30 Days Hath September…

Sunday 20th Sep
Today is September 20th. It is the 2/3 mark for The 2026 Great Canadian Hike.  

I didn’t know what to expect from participating in this venture, but I’m really happy to be a part of the Victoria Trail Trekkers. I know a lot of my teammates but I don’t know all of them. What is encouraging to me is to sign in each day (OK, more than once each day, to be truthful) and see how many kilometres different people have recorded and how much money has been raised. 

It blows me away that our team of walker/cyclers have combined their distances to travel clear across  4 provinces and well into a 5th province!  And there are 10 more days to add to that total number. 

They say autumn is a beautiful time to visit the Maritimes to see all the amazing fall colours. I say, to all the good people on the Victoria Trail Trekkers, let’s carry on trekking and find out for ourselves!

Thank you to my supporters

$52.38

Joy Farrell

$26.19

Shirley Robbie

Good luck Bill. Journey on my friend

$15.71

Jac Andre

$209.50

Bill Message

Our Team