Jared's Bike Trip - For Pete's Sake Cancer Respite Foundation

An update to my previous post. With just getting my fitness back from 3 weeks off the bike post-crash, there simply is not enough time to retrace my original ride before RAGBRAI. I plan to go back out to start after that. I can accelerate my schedule by using the e-bike and put bigger days in. I have a race in Grand rapids Aug 1 and 2. From there I will ship out to Portland and do the ride from Aug 3-11, the last day of which is 10 years since the accident. I moved to be at the same spot on the same day. Some things just never leave you. This is one. I have spent more time in Iowa to than any other state besides PA. I guess a part of me is always left out there. I'm drawn to the last place I was able- bodied. I think it will always be that way and why I enjoy RAGBRAI so much. It's a part of my identity to keep proving I can ride across Iowa without the bad part happening. I can do it over a thousand times, but it can't change what happened. I guess it's just a sacred place. I will always be back to do RAGBRAI until my last days on Earth. Maybe to thank God for a second chance, to meet the driver when he's free, and to stay in touch with the good friends I'm ultimately thankful to have that only exist because of the accident. It's a shared bond only the involved parties that day, and weeks to follow share with me. But it's a spiritual thing that is always there. Not many days go by where I don't think of that extended corn raised family and how they are doing.

Update: maybe my friend Sam will join me for a few miles to learn what bike packing is all about.

Next summer will be the 10th anniversary of my accident sustained while riding across the country in Sioux City IA area. I plan to ride again for For Pete's Sake Cancer Respite Foundation again. I will be retracing my entire route of my 1800 mile trip from Astoria, Oregon to Hinton, IA that I did before injury. I will again be focused on my efforts raising 10k for the charity for two families of cancer patients to have week-long respite vacations as they "take a break from cancer". A thousand dollars for every year I've pushed thru the hell that is spinal cord injury. I plan to revisit and stay with every single one of my friends I made and hosted me nightly. I always told you all I would be back someday. There will be no wheelchair. Just the bike and the open road. This time I know the way. I know everywhere I'm going. I'll be in touch again early next summer. Like/comment if you are still here all these years later my warm showers/couch surfing host friends. Some of you are not on here and will be hard to find. But I'll try my best when next summer comes around. I will fly to Portland, get a ride to Astoria, and bike to the Missouri River just in time for RAGBRAI. I will have the chair shipped to wherever the ride will start next year, complete RAGBRAI for the 5th year in a row, and fly home most likely from Moline. The camera will be rolling front and rear. There will likely be more police pullovers. More people will learn what a handcycle is. Who knows what will happen...it's called an adventure for a reason. The only sure way to fail is to not try. The only way to have regret is to not do your best. It’s been nearly a decade, and it’s time to go back to where it all started.