POLITICIANS have tried touring by train, plane and automobile, but MP John Weston will ride his riding on two wheels this week and into the fall.
Weston, the Conservative MP for West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country, is also an avid cyclist and advocate for healthy lifestyles, and figures the bike is the perfect way to meet more of his constituents while also spreading that message.
"When you're not surrounded by a ton of metal, it just happens. I think you're more amenable to interacting with other people," he said. "You can't go too far on the North Shore without encountering people enjoying walking or running or cycling."
He starts his tour on Monday with an event in North Vancouver, then Tuesday in West Vancouver and will ride his bike up the Sea to Sky highway with stops in Lions Bay, Britannia Beach, Squamish and Whistler on Wednesday.
A second trip is planned for sometime in October to ride the Sunshine Coast up to Powell River, but the dates haven't been set yet.
It's not the first time he's made the trip, though, completing the GranFondo to Whistler last year and cycling the Sunshine Coast Highway before as well.
On his way, he'll be asking people what their top three priorities are for the next four years for people in their community.
He added that he's looking for people from different communities - whether that's geographic, demographic or common experience, listing examples such as cyclists or people with MS - to talk about what's important to them.
"The main thing that underlies everything is to make sure we're listening," he said.
As well, he'll be talking about what government is doing in his priority areas, listing off economic development, engagement in the Pacific Rim, human rights, health and fitness and fisheries as his top priorities for the next four years.
