Most fathers would do anything for their daughter, but it's not too often that anything translates into a 4,000 kilometre (2,500 mile) journey which includes climbing the highest peak in North America.

And in order to complete Denali Quest 2005, 49 year old Wes Barker first needed to lose about 150 pounds, something which he decided to do after his daughter Sarah was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. It was then, in October 2003, that the Bellingham, Washington resident realized he needed to take better care of himself.

At that point, he was consuming anywhere from 3,000 to 5,000 calories a day in fast food. In fact, when Barker saw last year's documentary on fast food, Super Size Me, 'I laughed at that guy.

'I basically did what he did, but for 30 years,' said Barker in an interview Wednesday, while he was on a stopover in Whitehorse. 'I also smoked a couple of packs of cigarettes every week and drank to excess at least during football season.'

Doctors also told Barker that if he didn't make changes to his lifestyle, he was also at risk of developing diabetes he weighed 350 pounds at the time. Reading and learning about diabetes gave him some ideas on how to lose weight.

He started exercising regularly and he also cut out fast food and tried to emulate the diet of a diabetic. To date, he hasn't eaten at a fast food restaurant in 17 months.

While losing dozens of pounds was a start, Barker also wanted to do something to get the message out about diabetes and support his daughter. It was January 2004 when he began organizing his trip a bike trip to Talkeetna, Alaska and a climb to the summit of Mount McKinley, which stands at 20,320 feet high hoping to raise funds for the American Diabetes Association.

Of course, a trip of that calibre requires extensive training, which Barker found in the form of biking, swimming, weight training and yoga he worked with a trainer who is on a first name basis with phenom Lance Armstrong.

'I started out with a mountain bike,' he smiled. 'My first bike before that had a banana seat on it.'

Barker also began a very lean protein diet, cutting out nearly all carbs. He quickly realized the benefit of carbs though, when he got out on his bike and started climbing hills, so eventually he learned to reintroduce some carbs in his diet.

Up until last October, nobody was aware of Barker's journey, not even his family. They knew he was losing weight and exercising extensively, but nobody knew the whole picture.

'I kept it really quiet and really private simply because I wanted to do it for my daughter,' said Barker.

The secret came out when Barker inadvertently told a Bellingham radio DJ, who announced it on air. After that, it was full steam ahead until he left Seattle on April 1.

His first real test on a bike occurred when he and his family were on Christmas vacation in Maui last December. Barker climbed on a road bike and pedaled up the steepest paved road in the world to the Haleakele Summit, which had an elevation of 10,023 feet. The world record for reaching the summit by bike is about two and a half hours, held by Lance Armstrong. Barker completed the trek in about eight and a half hours.

As for his mountain climbing experience, he admits he didn't know 'a double-walled boot from a crampon' 17 months ago. He's been getting in as much practice as he can in Washington, although he said it's been a really lousy season there. Fortunately, Barker was able to hook up with the American Alpine Institute (AAI) back home, and a group from AAI will help him in his summit attempt on McKinley.

'They tell me I've got at least an 80 per cent chance of summiting,' he stated.

'I'm ready to rock and roll. I've got all my fancy schmancy down equipment and I'm also going to go up and work with an Alaska Mountain Safety (AMS) officer before I climb. I still have a lot ot learn.'

The Washington resident has also been digesting the bible of mountaineers one chapter at a time during his travels through B.C. and the Yukon, on his way to Alaska. He averages about 80 km a day (50 miles) on his bike while his wife follows him in a truck and camper, then the two of them get a chance to check out the sights.

'With my regime and everything else, I actually overprepared like you wouldn't believe (for the biking),' he said. 'So this part has really been a cake walk. Fifty miles a day on a bike is nothing, particularly if you have a really nice bike.

'So this is one hell of a vacation so far. I couldn't ask for a better deal.'

Which is why Barker now has a hard time understanding why anyone would want to just sit around, rather than get up off the couch and enjoy the outdoors.

'Why would anybody want to (sit around) when they could have all this?' he questioned. 'They're missing out on a lot and it's going to catch up with them sooner or later, I know that for a fact.

'I'd much rather leave this legacy behind than the one I would have left before.'

Barker said he owes a lot to his daughter, who provided a really big wake up call.

'I love my daughter very much and this is my basic way of showing it,' he said. 'The while awareness and fundraising thing was an afterthought, to tell you the truth.'

While the Denali Quest 2005 was originally organized in support of the American Diabetes Association, Barker stressed that any Yukoners or others in Canada who wish to help out with the cause can contact their local chapter of the Canadian Diabetes Association. For more information on how to donate in Canada, call 1-800-665-6526.

'I want the funds to go where it counts most and that's into the communities. Diabetes is just an incredibly underfunded, misunderstood disease. And it shouldn't be, because it affects a lot of people.'