LAKE ONTARIO

With fresh snow under their wheels, the Baffin-led Explore Your Outdoors Expedition set out on a 1,000-kilometre cycling adventure around Lake Ontario on January 30 2018.  The team of Mark Hubner, his brother Brent, Chris Surette and Jan-Sebastian La Pierre started their journey from the Stoney Creek Baffin head office on Arvin Avenue.

Circling the lake on both sides of the border, the foursome stopped in local communities to visit schools and encourage young people to embrace an outdoor lifestyle.The trek was also in support of Toronto-based youth camping charity Amici, for which the group raised an excess of $30,000 in donations. The expedition is also a chance to test the company’s products in some harsh outdoor conditions. “We’ll be head-to-toe in Baffin products, brand new pants, jackets and also testing some footwear and apparel and making sure that it performs for conditions like these,” Mark Hubner, Managing Director.

Hubner noted Baffin has participated in similar testing missions in the past.

“We like to test the products we develop. If we are going to do something, we want to make sure there’s an opportunity to give back to our community.”

Judy MacGowan, executive director of Amici Camping Charity, said the expedition team will help youth enjoy multi-year camping experiences at one of Amici’s 42 partner camps. MacGowan said the expedition fundraiser should raise enough to accommodate an entire cabin of about six children.  MacGowan praised the expedition team members for supporting the cause.

“It’s an honour to be here to send them off,” she said.

The expedition team was accompanied by outdoor marketing company A for Adventure (https://aforadventure.ca), who captured video and other content throughout the expedition. 

-Mike Pearson, HamiltonNews.com