Pat’s Trans Canada Trail: The Genest Family’s Cycling Adventures
Written by Pat Lee
Four summers ago, I met Alex Genest, his wife, sister-in-law, and their two young sons on a multi-day bikepacking trip along the Véloroute Péninsule Acadienne in northern New Brunswick, along the Trans Canada Trail.
That same cycling trip also took the family to Prince Edward Island, the Lunenburg area of Nova Scotia, and southern New Brunswick along the Bay of Fundy.
It was their first time riding in the Maritime region, and they were blown away by the support they received from local communities, particularly in northern New Brunswick. Along the way, they were offered places to pitch tents in backyards, access to showers, home-cooked meals, and more cups of tea than they could count.
“That’s what was very special about that trip. People were so welcoming and generous on the Acadian Peninsula. When we think about that trip, that was the most welcoming place of them all,” Alex said.
Photo credit: Alex Genest
Epic summer rides
Since that family adventure, they’ve been on many other epic summer rides and met countless inspiring people along the way.
Alex and his wife, Marie-Christine Côté, are both teachers, which gives them the flexibility to plan ambitious summer cycling adventures with their sons, Arno, 14, and Elliot, 11.
“We’re always thinking, ‘What’s going to be next?’” Alex said of the planning he does with his wife and sons.
During the summer of 2023, the family set out from their home in the Kitchener, Ontario, area and rode along the coast of Lake Huron to Manitoulin Island.
In 2024, they cycled from Kitchener to New York City, and last year they rode from Quebec City to the Gaspé Peninsula.
Photo credit: Alex Genest
“It’s usually an idea that pops out,” he said. “For example, for Manitoulin Island, we wanted to just leave from our place. So we thought, ‘Where can we go from Kitchener to see something that we haven’t seen before?’ So we started looking at the map and ‘OK, there’s a trail that will lead us all the way to the coast of Lake Huron – the Goderich to Guelph Trail – and then, oh look, there’s another trail we can take and a ferry we can get on. So that’s how it starts.”
The planning for the trip to New York City came about after a conversation with their boys, who asked to go somewhere outside of Canada.
“Going from Kitchener, we discovered that there’s a trail going from Buffalo to New York City called the Empire State Trail, so we did Kitchener to Niagara Falls, then we crossed the bridge (into New York State) and found our way to the trail,” he said.
“It was terrific. It was very quiet. You go along the Hudson River all the way to Manhattan.”
The generosity of strangers
In true bikepacking fashion, the family usually camps along the way. But Alex said they’ve also started using an app called Warmshowers, which connects cyclists with hosts offering free accommodations, support, or local knowledge.
“We discovered Warmshowers in the summer of 2024 and met amazing people who were generous and curious,” he said. “We’ve always felt really safe. It’s been incredible.”
Those encounters have been particularly eye-opening for the boys, who are learning firsthand that there are many kind people in the world.
The family also hopes to return the favour by hosting cyclists through the app in the future.
Photo credit: Alex Genest
Experienced cyclists
Not surprisingly, since I met them in New Brunswick four years ago, the boys have become accomplished cyclists. They no longer need their dad to tow them with a tether from his bike on hills or when they run out of steam.
“They definitely don’t need the rope now,” Alex said with a laugh.
Even back in the summer of 2022, the family rode about 800 kilometres in the Maritimes. Since then, they’ve logged roughly 700 kilometres in 2023, 1,200 kilometres in 2024, and another 700 kilometres in 2025. These days, Alex says, the boys can easily ride 100 kilometres in a single day.
Their athleticism likely comes naturally. Alex is a former Olympic athlete who competed in the steeplechase at the 2012 London Olympics.
But he said the greatest benefit of the family’s summer cycling adventures is the sense of accomplishment it gives his sons.
“When you look at the map and you think, ‘Wait a minute, can I really do that?’ and then you finish something big that you didn’t think that was possible. I think it’s a sense of achievement.”
Photo credit: Alex Genest
Pat Lee is an experienced travel writer who loves to explore the world, often on two wheels. She loves to learn about what makes a small corner of the world tick through up close and personal experiences. While she’s been privileged to visit many parts of the world, she’s barely scratched the surface. Follow Pat on Instagram @patleewriter
The experiences shared here are made possible through the work of Trans Canada Trail and our partners. From seasonal repairs and upgrades to supporting local trail groups, we’re committed to building a lasting, resilient, and accessible trail network that people across Canada can enjoy every day.
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Main photo credit: Alex Genest
