Three friends whose bicycle tour around the U.S. ended 25 years ago in a life-threatening crash will return to the road this month to complete their 8,141-mile journey.
The western New York trio plan to resume their bike tour from the scene of the crash in Seguin, Texas, on July 29 and finish the final 2,500 miles to Buffalo, N.Y., by the end of August.
It reminds me of Dutch bicyclist Frank van Dijk who returned to the U.S. last fall to complete his TransAmerica bicycle tour 34 years after it was interrupted by a collision with a car in Eureka, Kansas.
Having a bicycle-trip-of-a-lifetime cut short by a car crash must leave people with a severe sense of unfinished business.
Raising money
That's true for Tony Glosek, Dave Cywinski, and Dan Alexander. Once again, they will be raising money for the the Seneca Babcock Community Center in the Buffalo neighborhood where they grew up and the Boys and Girls Club of Geneva, N.Y.
They're calling the ride theBike Trip for Kids.
The community center served a poor section of Buffalo, and the three boys used it as a home away from home as they grew up. Once they became adults, the original 100-day perimeter bicycle tour in 1986 was an effort to give back to the center by raising money.
Four set out
They were joined on the tour by a fourth cyclist and a sag vehicle. Their friend had to leave early due to family matters, leaving Glosek, Cywinski and Alexander.
In spite of the demands, the three had made it all the way to Seguim. That's where Glosek and Cywinski were struck from behind by a dozing pickup truck driver as they pedaled in the slipstream of the sag vehicle.
Glosek was thrown to the pavement and broke both legs and his jaw, while Cywinski was pinned between the vehicles, his left leg broken. Alexander, who was not drafting, finished the tour alone.
Finish the bike tour
As time went on, Alexander and Cywinski became doctors and partners in a orthopedic practice where Glosek also works. They never forgot their debt to the community center and decided to finish their fund-raising tour on the 25th anniversary.
If you're interested, you can visit the Bike Trip for Kids website to donate, or contact Cywinski about a sponsorship. The website also carries news updates and videos about the three men's preparations for the bike trip.
We wish them a safe ride on their upcoming bike tour.
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