If you have grown up in Manitoba you have certainly heard legendary stories of how former generations walked to school every day, uphill both ways. Today, we have big yellow school buses that pick us up from our driveway, but that is not stopping a boy from Steinbach from attempting his own legendary trek to school.

Ten-year-old Isaiah Penner has biked to school every day this school year. Yes, even on the coldest of days or the wettest of mornings.

His father Greg says the idea surfaced in September of last year. As you may recall, the school year started with a lot of uncertainty as the result of COVID-19. Not only was it unclear how long in-school learning might last, but there was also the unknown of how students would be transported to school. Parents were asked to inform the Hanover School Division by August 21st whether their child would require bus service. Those who opted for bus transportation could expect delays in boarding, cohorts while seated and mandatory mask use, all because of the pandemic.

Greg says with all the uncertainty, he challenged his son to consider biking to school.

"Go the entire year," he told Isaiah. "And if you do it, there will be a reward."

Isaiah agreed to the challenge and six months later the youngster has not skipped a day. And, even though it has been a mild winter, not every day has been a bed of roses.

"One of the days I had both of my eyelids almost frozen shut," he recalls. "So I had to rub one of my eyes just to warm it up. So I only biked with one eye to school."

Isaiah says his parents quickly solved that problem by buying him a pair of ski goggles.

"There's one day it was pouring (rain)," recalls Isaiah on another occasion. "And I had a full change at school."

Greg agrees there have certainly been days since September when the weather has been less than ideal and they have offered to drive their 10-year-old to school. But Isaiah will have none of it.

"I have to do this, I have to see this through," Greg says of Isaiah. "The perseverance is so good."

So what motivates Isaiah to cycle the one mile to school each day?

"It's fun and challenging," he says. "I've been biking with my friend Liam and we just get to hang out more. And some of my friends have joined us on the way."

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