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Simcoe couple preparing to hike across Canada

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A Simcoe couple with a love for long-distance hikes are about to depart on their longest trip yet.

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Sonya Richmond and Sean Morton are planning to take a three-year trek across the country, along Canada’s 24,000-kilometre Great Trail.

They have previously hiked across Spain and France, and decided it is time to journey across their own country.

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“We’re trying to get people to develop a sense of how everything is connected,” said Richmond.

“We’re walking from one side of the country to the other. We’re going to be visiting a lot of communities like this one. The landscape is really different across the country but we are all connected.”

The couple have sold their home and quit their jobs to make the trip become a reality.

They will be travelling to Newfoundland in the last week of May, holding a launch event and then taking the first steps of the hike on June 1.

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If all goes according to plan, they will complete their journey in three years. The goal is cover 180 kilometres a week, walking 35 kilometres daily for four days, shorter distances for a couple days and one rest day.

They plan to return to Norfolk for this Christmas and take a break in Southwestern Ontario to avoid the harshest winter weather.

“Trying to predict the weather, and trying to predict how fast we’re going to go, those are huge unknowns,” said Richmond. “That’s been a huge challenge.”

They are budgeting $10 a day for their meals.

They also plan to document their journey with a daily blog and on social media.

“Our goal is to inspire people to get out there,” said Richmond.

“If we could inspire one person to get out into nature, especially kids, to get someone excited about nature we’d consider that a success.”

The couple hope to start a business when they complete their adventure but say that is too far in the future to know for sure.

You can follow along with their trip and make donations on their website at www.comewalkwithus.online.

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