Courtney Yourkin and Joey Cabral are cycling to the annual memorial service in Ottawa on Sunday to honour fallen comrades. (Susan Schafer/CBC)

When most people think of what it's like to be blind, what usually comes to mind is all the things a person can't do. Say, riding a bike.

Being blind, though, hasn't stopped Joey Cabral from doing just that.

Cabral is joining about a dozen other members of the Toronto Police Services who are cycling 400 kilometres to the annual National Police Memorial Service in Ottawa on Sunday to honour their fallen comrades.

"It's going to be quite the journey," said 27-year-old Cabral, a Toronto police clerk who has been blind from glaucoma since he was five.

To pull off the feat, Cabral needs the help of Toronto Const. Courtney Yourkin. She heard Cabral was looking for a partner and immediately volunteered to be the eyes of the two-seater team. While Yourkin may provide the visual, she says Cabral has the vigour.

"He is my little engine behind me," she said. "He's got a lot of courage."

Cabral and Yourkin, who have become known by their colleagues as "the Tandem Seats and Sore Cheeks" team, have been training for two months. Although neither has ever attempted such a feat before, they feel prepared.

"I climbed the Niagara Escarpment," said Cabral, "so if I can do that, I can do anything."

The tandem team and their cohort departed on their three-day journey at about 7:30 a.m. Thursday from Toronto Police Association headquarters in North York. They hope it will become an annual "Ride to Remember." The venture has already raised a $5,000 cheque for the families of fallen officers.

The riders have the support of Toronto Police Chief William Blair, who addressed them at the start of their journey. He said he hoped the wind would stay at their backs and the sun would shine on them throughout the journey.

Blair noted how important it is not only to represent cultural diversity among Toronto police, but also diversity in abilities such as Cabral's.

And Cabral's ability doesn't stop anywhere short of ambitious, After this ride, he plans to bike from Toronto to B.C. to raise funds for guide dogs. His "sore cheeks" partner won't be far from his side; Yourkin plans to be with him every rotation of the way.