Cyclists ride through rain and shine to raise money for mental health

A group of supporters gathered in Sherwood Park to greet the 18 cyclists who braved the rain to cycle almost 900 kilometres to raise money for youth mental health. (John Hanson/CTV News Edmonton)

A group of cyclists braved the weather last week to raise tens of thousands of dollars for mental services for Indigenous youth and their families.

The annual Minds Over Mountains Cycle Tour wrapped up in Sherwood Park on Saturday, with the 18 participating cyclists raising around $95,000 for Casa Mental Health, an organization that provides Indigenous-informed mental health care for children, youth and their families.

Starting on June 17, the cyclists rode almost 900-kilometres across Alberta before ending the trip outside of Concrete Blonde.

"We went through some hell days this tour and [today's] a great day to finish," said the salon's director and cyclist, Chad Stewart, who has been raising money through the ride for the past five years.

Since 2015, the annual June bike tours have raised more than one million dollars.

Stewart said the rides normally raise around $250,000, but he's very happy with this year's efforts considering the circumstances.

'We were a little bit low on riders this year, but for 18 riders to raise $95,000 is pretty awesome," he added. "We're pretty proud of that."

This year's ride was sponsored by Concrete Blonde and JDK Heating.