Solo cross-country bike tour on tandem

The 23-year-old cyclist from Richmond, Virginia, is the sole rider on a tandem for a fund-raiser in memory of his friend, Stephen Neller.

Linthicum is raising pledges and awareness for cystic fibrosis, the lung disease that struck down his friend. He began the “2 Feet 4 Pedals” bike tour in Florence, Oregon, on June 1 and plans to finish in Virginia Beach, Virginia, by the end of August.

The cyclist has drawn plenty of stares as he rides cross-country. The “stoker” seat on his tandem is empty, in memory of Neller who died two years ago from pneumonia.

Linthicum was interviewed recently by the Courier-Journal as he stopped overnight in Louisville. He reported that he had raised $6,000 of his $25,000 goal.

The cyclist is writing a blog — Tailwinds — along the route. Looking at some entries, I can see he suffers the same problems faced by all cyclists — innumerable flats, blistering heat, lack of facilities in small towns. It's a gas to read. There are also plenty of pictures.

Although he's raising money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, he says his real goal is to raise awareness about this disease. So here goes (from his website):

“CF is a genetic disorder that causes the body to produce a build up of abnormally thick and sticky mucus. This build up often leads to severe lung infections and complicated digestion. There is still no cure for this serious disease that currently affects approximately 30,000 children and young adults in the United States.”