Seventy-six college students are spending their summer vacations in the bike saddle as they're rolling out of Seattle and San Francisco in the next couple of weeks for three cross-country charity bicycle tours.
All members of the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity, the cyclists (and 20 college crewmembers) are riding the Journey of Hope bicycle tours in support of children and adults with disabilities.
Bike tours are always educational. You can't help but learn about different people and places while you slowly pedal down the road. But this one is more so, as these college students are scheduled to meet with and learn about children and adults with physical and mental disabilities, as well as perform service projects along the way.
Push America
The three bike tours (on northern, central and southern routes) will touch 32 states as they wend their way across the US for more than 60 days. The tours end August 16 on he west lawn of the US Capitol, where the cyclists and their support crews (also college students) will meet up.
The bike tour is sponsored by Push America, a charity that encourages members of Pi Kappa Phi to improve the lives of people with disabilities. Push America sponsors other events during the year, such as seminars on disability topics and other volunteer opportunities.
The ride
While Push America got its start in the '70s, the Journey of Hope was launched in 1988 following the previous year's cross-country awareness-building bike tour by Bruce Rogers. More than 900 college students have participated in the ride over the years.
Organizers emphasize the ride is no cake walk. The cyclists knock out about 75 miles a day, and spend their evenings and off days socializing with people with disabilities in the communities along the way.
As the father of a child with disabilities, I'm aware of how frequently the needs of people with disabilities are ignored. It's good that members of this fraternity make an effort to learn about those issues. Maybe one day they'll be in positions to do some good.
You can read more about the Journey of Hope at the Push America website. Also check there for information about the Seattle kick-off festivities and the San Francisco kick-off festivities. The teams leave Seattle on June 11 and San Francisco on June 15.
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