The motto of Lifecycles is "Do hard things," and for 60 days this summer, a team of bicyclists did just that. Eight boys and three adults rode 3,700 miles, from Sunset Beach, Ore., to Cape Henlopen, Del., as part of the Trans Am Extreme Challenge Ride. The ride is a project of Lifecycles, a nonprofit mentoring program committed to building young people of character through bicycling.
"It was quite an adventure," said Mike Wise, one of the adults who participated in the cross-country ride that began June 10 and ended on Aug. 8. "When I first heard it was going to be 60 days, I thought, 'I can do 60 days, no problem.' I had no idea how long 60 days would really be." The group took a northern route across the United States. "The first five to seven days were rainy," Wise recalled, of the group's journey through Oregon and Washington. They biked through thunderstorms, torrential downpours and unseasonably cold, wet weather. But they never gave up, Wise said, and they also encountered unforgettable sights along the route.
"A big highlight was Yellowstone National Park," he said. "We rode through Beartooth Highway. ... We rode 27 miles uphill. It was a crystal-clear day, and you could see for miles. It was just beautiful." The participants had concerns ahead of time that they'd all make it up the incline - and then concerns about coming down through hairpin turns and steep drop-offs. Despite the challenges, the riders experienced no major health concerns or problems - only some muscle aches, blisters and irritated asthma.
Joining Wise on the trip were youth team members Zach Greineder, Liam Howell, Micah Lapp, Micah Clark, Monny Smith, Zander Malanchuk, AJ Vega and Jaerrid Strawser, along with adults Al Vega and Michelle Deller.
Each day of the trip kicked off with a text of encouragement and Scripture from Lifecycles founder Lee DeRemer, followed by a ride to the evening's stop. "We'd go out to dinner at night, and that's when we could really bond, since we couldn't talk to each other much during the rides," said Wise, a retired art teacher from Manheim who joined Lifecycles four years ago.
The trip brought out the best and the worst in everybody, Wise stated, adding, "We all had our moments when we were struggling in different ways, either physically or emotionally, but the boys all did great. They represented Lifecycles and the Lord well."
At 63, Wise said he isn't sure he's up for another cross-country bike ride, but he knows the memories from this one will last for years. "One of the boys, after the trip was over, came up to me and said, 'Can you help me with my devotions? I like doing them, and I feel so much better when I do them, and I don't want that to end,'" Wise remarked. "That made me realize what a lasting impact this trip is going to have on these boys."
For more information on Lifecycles, visit http://www.lifecyclesteam.org.
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