Our Home States of Tennessee and Kentucky

Team 12’s home tour is coming to a close. With a long series of amazing events and rejoining many friends and families, the team feels motivated to finish the last leg of the trip out. On July 5th, we rode out of Paducah towards Clarksville, TN, with a good 80-mile ride. That night we were hosted and fed by Team 11 rider Tyler Baldwin’s family. The team rode a short 45 miles to Nashville on July 6, the shortest ride in a long time. This was the first stay with familiar faces during the whole trip and also share our own experiences with good friends. That night the team hosted a meet and greet at Franklin TN, serving dinner and hosting a fun cornhole tournament. the next day we got to spend resting with family and relaxing.

Team 12 finally arriving home to BG

On July 9th we departed from Nashville and headed our way to where it all started, Bowling Green KY. Our excitement was ecstatic, making this feel like a lot faster ride than most. Before arriving we took a slight break in Franklin KY for a quick interview for the local news. At this point nothing could slow us down - whether it be from the heat of the sun, or the tube that Thomas lost on the last stretch of Nashville Rd. Entering WKU’s limits we rode under the bridge and onto campus, greeted by many families, girlfriends, friends, and many more people to cheer us on. After many hugs, laughs and fantastic reunions, the team packed up. The next rest day we held an event at the SOKY Marketplace downtown. Even with torrential downpour, we set up a burger grill, selling meals and selling merch. We got to eat, talk and play cornhole with those we missed so much.

However, the next day July 10, we had to leave the ones we loved to continue our journey. Joined by Jessi, the team made our way to Elizabeth Town taking the route that beat us into shape during our practice ride 2 months prior. Only this time, the team was ready and we dominated the ride. We arrived into E-town and went straight into another event with Flywheel Brewing. The team got to appear on the local radio show, and tabled for the oncoming friends, family and more connections. We were kindly hosted by Tyler Jury’s parents for our stay in town. Getting to relax and take a quick swim after the event. Our next ride into Louisville was short but sweet. The team got to finish the ride at Clayton & Crume headquarters. On our rest day, Clayton & Crume hosted one of our most successful events with a silent auction inviting Bike4Alz slum, families, friends, and so many more coming to support us.

Team 12 at Clayton & Crume Headquarters

Team 12 visiting Sanders Brown once again

The next day, we left Louisville and rode into Lexington. This would be our last hoorah with Jessi, who we could not thank enough for her constant positivity, and great vibes while riding. In Lexington, we stayed at fellow brother Cai Coburn’s household. They were so kind to let 12 hyper college students into their house, and we are incredibly thankful. We would have yet another rest day in town for our shrimp boil event. Before the boil we spent the morning going to service at GardenSide who after service kindly treated us to drakes for lunch. During the Boil we sold merch and fundraised while indulging in great shrimp. The team also proudly delivered a check of $75,000 to Sanders Brown Center of Ageing. On July 15th, we made our way to Somerset, staying at an Airbnb that we got together. While there we had a truly relaxing day at the SomerSplash water park before hitting the steep Eastern Kentucky hills.

Team 12 at the Shrimp Boil

from Somerset, we moved onto Hyden, or at least somewhere near it. We stayed at the Red Bird Mission camp after an eventful ride full of dogs, hills and less-than-pristine roads. the following day, July 19, we made our way to Pikeville, our last stop before leaving our home state and moving to Virginia. By this point in the trip the team is finally coming to terms with leaving home once again. We have never been stronger as a team riding wise. As we head onto our last state, we start to reflect on the overall trip, but still make as many memories as we can before we arrive at the sandy beach. We knew the Appalachians would be difficult, but we were ready.

Team 12 riding out of Kentucky

The states of Missouri and Illinois

Team 12 riding along the Katy Trail

After beating the blistering heat, there has been a significant change in moral since we left Kansas. Not only has weather and riding conditions significantly changed, but we have all started realizing what all we have done so far to get here. Missouri is the start of our trek through the eastern side of the country, and our start of finally getting close to home. More than any other state on the ride so far, Missouri has reminded us of home, with its green forests and rolling hills. We left Sweet Springs on June 29 to ride on the Katy Trail for the first time. Mixing our bikes with gravel had been nothing but misery so far. Although, the trail served to be a smooth ride with beautiful scenery. The trees also provided amazing shade from the sun. We finished the day in Columbia.

Team 12 at Lake St. Louis Golf Course for a golf scramble

The next day, we continued along the trail for the whole day. The Katy Trail runs all across Missouri, so our primary goal was to stay on it the whole way. We were blessed with amazing weather during our rides along the trail. for the 3 days we were on it the heat didn’t get above 85 and the rain was very minimal. We had a very fun and relaxing time during our stay on the trail. While in Union we stayed at Lifestream Church. From here we would ride to St. Louis, where friends of Bike4Alz let us stay at their house on Lake St. Louis. That Afternoon we got to host a benefit night with 2 different Texas Roadhouse locations and tabled selling merch. Our next rest day was on the lake allowing us to relax to our fullest. We started the day with a fun team golf scramble and spent the rest of it on the lake swimming, fishing, and relaxing.

Team 12 at Paducah fireworks show

From St. Louis we entered the state of Illinois riding to Murphysboro. The ride went very smooth disregarding the couple pop up showers that flew by. In Murphysboro we stayed at the United Methodist Church there. They graciously fed us both dinner and breakfast and saw us on our way. On July 3, We finally crossed into Kentucky, where the entire trip began. Even the rude cars and yelling couldn’t deter our spirits. We rode into Paducah where Starfish Ministries kindly housed us for the night. We got to enjoy the 4th of July going to the riverfront and watching the fireworks show. The following morning, we woke up and began our last long ride of 96 miles for a long time to Clarksville Tennessee, beginning the team 12 Home Tour.

team 12 finally saying hello to Tennessee!

The State of Kansas

Team 12 grinding through the heat

Leaving Kansas marks off our 5th state and it was exactly how the past teams described it. Kansas was described to us as some of the longest days of the trip. Not only were the rides long averaging 85 to 90 miles, but the Kansas heat kept the rides feeling slower. Contrary to popular belief, Kansas is not entirely flat as well. Following the 120 mile day, on June 22nd we rode out of Sharon Springs, our legs still aching from the day before. With an amazing breakfast casserole from the hosts at United Methodist Church, we hit the rode to Hoxie. After making it through parts of the ride, the team had to pack up and get ready for our event at a restaurant called The Elephant. There, we tabled and presented to the customers at the restaurant.

Team 12 adding twine to the world’s largest ball of twine (Cawker City)

On June 23rd we rode from Hoxie to Osbourne. It didn’t take long for the combination of the Kansas sun and the humidity to make the ride harder. Flies greeted us at every stop for the entire state. United Methodist Church provided us with lodging and, thankfully, had dinner for us on arrival. We spent the rest of the afternoon getting laundry taken care of and visited John at Blue Hills Bikes in town who volunteered to tune up most of our bikes. The next day we rode to Miltonvale. We got to stop at Cawker City along the way and helped add onto the world’s largest ball of twine. weighing roughly 20,000 pounds and over 8 million feet long, it was looked like the size of a shed. the ride got much harder after this stop due to the rapid heat changing to 107 degrees mid way into the ride. After a hard 2nd half we settled into the EMS building in town. we got to relax at the pool and had a great dinner. The next day we rode to Manhattan, where we stayed at the Kansas State Fiji house. Even though it was a 95 mile day, we powered through. Getting to see a Fiji chapter house like Kansas State’s was amazing, as well as learning about the life in another chapter from Greg Nelson, one of their house advisors. We had our rest day in Manhattan and spent it exploring the campus of K-State, getting work done and relaxing with fellow FIJI’s.

Team 12 enjoying the day off with K-State Fiji

On June 26th we said goodbye to Kansas and hello to Missouri as we entered Kansas City. After rough rode conditions and confusing navigation, we made it to Faith Community Church in Oak Grove Missouri. We made sure to get good barbeque for dinner. Our first full day in Missouri going to Sweet Springs felt very similar to riding in Kentucky with all the rolling hills. Most of us are beginning the recognize and fathom how close we are to home. We will be back in our home state in less than a week which is crazy to think about. The team has officially made it out of the west and it feels weird being back so close to home yet so far from being done with the trip as a whole. We’re excited to get back home and host big events with supporters.

Team 12 relaxing at K-State Fiji House

The State of Colorado

Team 12 ending the ride at Casey’s Pond Senior Living (Steamboat Springs)

We have Finally left the colorful state of Colorado! Since the last blog, the team has ridden up and down the Rocky Mountains, held many fundraising events, and had many adventures. On June 12, we rode from Craig to Steamboat Springs. This begins the continuous climbing we endure while going further in the mountain state. Our team would ride and finish at Casey’s Pond Senior living community in town. When we arrived we got to present and display our team’s goal for Bike4Alz. We also connected and talked to the residents and hear their stories. Learning from those who are caring for people who have Alzheimer today is exactly what motives us even more to climb the enormous mountains to come.

The next next day was one of the hardest rides of the trip so far. Our ride from Steamboat Springs to Gould included the steep Rabbit Ears Pass climb and a tiring 72 mile ride. for the first 20 miles, the team climbed nearly 3,500 ft up to a total 9,430 ft of elevation. Our 2nd highest peak of the trip. With the weather turning frigid cold, the team layered up for the descent that was after the climb. Luckily, rain held up and we got to finish the day and ultimately ended the day at the campsite at Gould. With warm comfortable cabins and warm fires, we enjoyed the rest of the day with our new companion Dana Hesse from the Bike4Alz board. He was a tremendous help and great company all throughout the state.

Team 12 exploring Rocky Mountain National Park

From Gould we rode to Fort Collins where we stated the day climbing Cameron pass to 10,000 ft of elevation, marking our highest point on the trip. the rest of the day was the most beautiful descent of the entire trip so far. We carved through the mountain pass riding along the river on the way down. We saw wildlife of all kinds, fishermen, kayakers, climbers and more during the ride. The whole day of descending rested our legs as well. We stayed at United Methodist Church and had an event at New Belgium Brewing, both were arranged with the help of Scott Hapner of United Way of Larimer County. We had a rest day in Fort Collins and we got to spend it at Rocky Mountain National Park where we explored and hiked to a summit of 12,000 ft overlooked the entire surrounding mountain ranges.

Team 12 and Primal get together (Denver)

On June 16th, we left for Denver. while riding we took side trails and explored the University of Colorado Boulder. We got to ride on our first set of bike paths called the US 36 Bikeway into Denver. This was the first ride where the heat had really picked up and it took a toll on our energy. During our rest day in Denver we got a much needed sleep in morning along with getting necessary bike repairs done at local shops. Wheat Ridge Cyclery helped us out immensely with our mechanical issues. We explored more of Denver while grabbing lunch before our meet up with one of our main partners Primal Wear. The team got to meet with Stephen Blackband who gave us the tour of their facility and how their operation works with creating cycling apparel like they did with our very own cycling kits. The team even got to restock on cool cycling gear after many retired jerseys due to rough conditions. For the evening, the team got to enjoy another Rockies game against the Dodgers and it was a blast. We’re all slowly turning into Rockies fans since we saw them at San Francisco, Denver and will soon see them at Kansas City coincidentally.

Whistle Pig Brewery dinner (Colorado Springs)

From Denver we rode to Colorado Springs where we were pounded by a 25 mph headwind. That evening we held an event at Whistle Pig Brewery where we held a spaghetti dinner and cornhole tournament for the locals. It was an amazing turnout and we got to connect to lots of past team supporters. From Colorado Springs we rode to Limon. This marks the part of the trip where the team will be pilling on miles leading to longer days of riding. To finish up Colorado, we rode the annual 120 miles to Sharon Springs. We woke up at sunrise to prepare for the long day, not knowing what would happen due to a Bridge closing leading us to detour almost another 130 miles. We Made our way north instead of straight east which helped us with the wind. With no more than a tailwind and slight crosswind the team flew through the hot day ending it all in the McDonalds parking lot. McDonalds is turning into the light at the end of the tunnel for many long hard days and it motivates us to finish even faster. The goof people at United Methodist Church in Sharon Springs, Kansas, lifted our spirits with a great dinner and saw us off with an even better breakfast.

We loved Colorado for it was a very eventful and fun state. As of Sharon Springs we are officially half way through the trip. With 4 states down the team is in the thick of it all. We have already made unforgettable memories and we’re excited to make more along this 2nd half. The closer we get to home the more we get motivated to get on the bike and these long days in Kansas will prepare us for anything we’ll need to face for the rest of the trip.

Team 12 Making it to Kansas!

The State of Utah

Team 12 at the Helie’s for dinner (Salt Lake City Utah)

Our team has finally left the beautiful state of Utah. After a two-day stay at Delta High School and passing through Lyndyll, we pushed on to Saratoga Springs and stayed in South Jordan in Salt Lake City. Salt Lake City marked our first rest day in nine days since powering through all of Nevada. During our relaxing day off, the team spent the majority of our time exploring the city and visiting local bike shops for necessary repairs. That afternoon, the team was graciously offered dinner at the Helie family's home, allowing us to enjoy the rest of the beautiful day. It was a perfect way to recharge before continuing our journey.

Team 12 enjoying the campfire at Strawberry Utah campsite

On June 7, we hopped right back on our bikes and rode to Heber City, where we camped at the Mountain Valley Resort. The resort's pool provided us with lots of entertainment for the night, offering a fun and refreshing way to unwind. From Heber City, we rode to Strawberry, situated near Duchesne. We crossed Strawberry Reservoir and camped at the lakeside RV Campground. The team set up camp, made a fire, and enjoyed intense rounds of cornhole. Showers were known to be slimy, so some team members used the lake to freshen up. It was a memorable evening by the water, adding to our adventure.

Team 12 off to Vernal Utah

Team 12 leaving Salt Lake City Utah

From Strawberry, we rode to Vernal and stayed at the Vernal Christian Church. Vernal would be our last stop before heading into Colorado, our longest stay in any state. The welcoming atmosphere of the church made us feel at home, providing a comforting end to our time in Utah. Utah was a very quick state, as will be the case with other states on our journey. As a team, we enjoyed our stay, meeting new people and experiencing the unique beauty of the state. Other than the occasional bike problem, we had fairly good luck with the bikes being in good shape. Our journey through Utah left us with wonderful memories and new friends.

Colorado begins some of the most challenging rides of the entire trip, including our first century ride and Rabbit Ears Pass. The team feels very fit and confident at this point, although the days will be longer with the increase in daily mileage. We are prepared for the tough roads ahead and excited to take on these new challenges. The scenic beauty and physical demands of Colorado will undoubtedly test our endurance, but we are ready to tackle them with determination and teamwork.

Team 12 saying goodbye to Utah and hello to Colorado

The State of Nevada

Team 12 assisting Humane Society (Incline Village Nevada)

Team 12 has officially biked through two states as we left Nevada behind. After riding out of the Sierra Nevadas and Lake Tahoe, we arrived in Carson City, our first stop within the state. After a short drive, we returned to Lake Tahoe for a much-needed rest day. While in Incline Village, we hosted a fundraising event at Craft and Lodging Tap Room and assisted with flower work for the Humane Society. This period of rest and relaxation allowed us to prepare for the longest stretch of continuous cycling on the entire trip—nine consecutive days of cycling across Nevada, a challenge we were eager to undertake.

Middlegate Nevada population count (Middlegate Nevada)

Team 12 relaxing at Spencer Hot Spring (Austin Nevada)

The ride from Carson City to Fallon was our first experience along Highway 50, the Loneliest Highway. We were warmly greeted and fed by Epworth United Methodist Church for the night. The team was able to rest nicely with a roof over our heads after the first of many long, hot, sunny days in Nevada. The next morning, after an amazing breakfast, we rode out for Middlegate. After a quick dinner at the junction and viewing flyovers by the local airbase, we relocated to Cold Springs for housing. This also marked the beginning of an infestation of Mormon crickets along the road, a sight we would endure for the rest of the state.

After leaving Cold Springs, we rode to Austin, where we camped at a local campsite. After exploring the quaint town, we headed to a local hot spring about 25 minutes down a dirt road. Even on the dirt road, we were accompanied by the endless amounts of crickets crunching under our tires. The spring was boiling hot, but we still managed to relax in the already sweltering weather. From Austin, we rode to Eureka and stayed at Diamond Valley Church, centered in the farmland outside of town. The scenery was breathtaking, with mountains surrounding us in every direction in the valley. We also experienced the best view of the stars on the trip so far, making it a night to remember.

The next morning, we departed for Ely, starting from the local grocery store. This ride was particularly challenging due to a very draining headwind throughout. The reward, however, was the descents after every long climb on this ride. The ride to Ely was the longest of the trip so far, stretching 78 miles. Our motivation was the anticipation of a McDonald’s meal, which kept us powering through. Once we finally made it to Ely, we stayed at Bayside Church and spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing and recovering from the grueling ride.

Baker Community Church (Baker Nevada)

From Ely, we rode to Baker located dead center of the Great Basin National Park. While there we realized how close our next state of Utah is with it being just over the mountain range. We stayed at Baker Community Church, and met any members of the small town. We got to eat at Sugar, Salt & Malt for dinner had had arguably some of the best food on the trip so far with their burgers. For the start of Utah we stay at Delta Highschool for 2 nights, breaking up the 110-mile stretch. We are pumped to be 2 states down and onto our 3rd. We are finally getting into the groove of it all both physically and as a functioning team. Team 12 is still very fresh into this journey and we have lots more to go.

Team 12 entering the state of Utah

The State of California

Bike4Alz Team 12 at Horseshoe Bend (Arizona)

On May 17th, 12 men packed very tightly into a van to begin a very long 50 hour drive to the other side of the country at San Francisco California. Ultimately starting the journey of a lifetime for us. Even though it was a 50 hour drive out to the bay, we made the most of it by getting to visit some stops like the Grand Canyon and Horseshoe Bend out in Arizona. Once we made it to San Francisco, we were blessed to stay at the Delta Xi chapter of Phi Gamma Delta at UC Berkley until we depart. On May 19th that Sunday the team spent the afternoon exploring the campus and walking around the local area. We even managed to play pick up ball in the football stadium. After exploring downtown San Francisco, watching a Giants game, and hosting a meet and greet event, We were ready to depart.

Bike4Alz Team 12 sending off the ride (San Francisco California)

Team member Dawson Bechman connecting with a resident (Carlton Senior Living, Davis California)

From Davis we rode to Folsom where we were very blessed by an unexpected host who met one of our guys at the Giants game. we originally didn’t have any place to camp or stay but a very kind man named Gary Brickler emailed us and allowed us to stay at his house for the night, and even rode with us for part of the ride from Folsom to Somerset. We stayed at another local church in Somerset before we began a grueling climb of 8,000 ft into Kirkwood. After what seemed like the hardest ride of our lives we made it to Kirkwood in one piece and got to stay at the ski lodge before descending into Carson City Nevada, ultimately concluding our journey through the state of California.

Bike4Alz Team 12 at Oracle Park for a Giants game (San Francisco California)

On May 21st we dipped our tires in the Pacific Ocean beginning the journey across America. Our first stop was Vallejo where we got to stay at a church for the night. It was a thrill to ride through the city and across the very windy Golden Gate Bridge. It was chilly that day but we still stopped to appreciate the view of the city and surrounding bay area on the bridge.

From Vallejo we rode to Davis where we were very lucky to stay at the Ryder on Olive Apartment complex for 2 days since we had a rest day. After the ride we relaxed before we got to go Tommy J’s and Froggy’s Bar & Grill for a tabling event. It was an amazing experience getting to meet all the locals and talk to more people who haven’t gotten to talk to past teams before. May 23rd was our rest day and we spent it getting to see the U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame learning the beginning of bikes as a whole. We then later that evening went to Carlton Senior Living where we got to meet and present our cause to the people living there. The entire team got to have great conversations with the residents and learning their life stories. “ It was a great reminder of why we ride this trip”, said Tanner Blood.

Bike4Alz Team 12 riding through Luther Pass (Kirkwood California)

Bike4Alz Team 12 with Gary and Susan Brickler (Folsom California)