Hell on Wheels 2008

The first weekend in May is going to be a big 'un. Friday night, 2 May, I will host a military ball here at the University to honor my graduating senior class, their last formal function before pinning on their gold bars a week later (another event I am greatly proud of--I grew these soon to be LTs, they are the ones who passed the "Post Injury Angry Chuck" litmus test.)

Immediately following the ball, I will change out of my dress blues, load up my shiny new bike (donated by the independence fund, and built by Scott at Bike-on.com) and drive to Bethesda, MD. The next Morning, I will get up early, and along with 500 new friends, will ride said bike to Gettysburg, PA--a ride that should take two days and will cover 110 miles.

Don't worry, I'll be bringing extra pain meds.

The ride is a welcome home for the wounded. Many of the participants are fellow former and current patients. Everything they need is taken care of--from the helmets and bikes to the food and lodging. All donated by people like you.

I want to ride, but I also want to raise $$$$ to help them help others. Currently, they've raised just over $47,o00. That will only buy 25 hand-bikes (for amputees). Not everyone riding needs a special, purpose-built bike, but many do. Even me. between back injury and scar/muscle adhesion, there was no way I would be able to do this on my bike, or on any normal bike. They are giving me a recumbent bike--you basically sit reclining and pedal--for the event, and then I get to bring it home with me. The bike they gave me wasn't cheap, but price was never discussed--just needs met.

So my goal, in the next month, it to raise $5000. That's a 10% increase of their current funds. Obviously, more is better, but every single dollar counts. I don't think their doing the "so much per mile" kind of pledges, but if anyone wants to know, Just $0.46 per mile (the price of a Krispy Kreme donut, come to think of it.) will achieve my $5K goal. And I will finish every last mile, even if I have to lasso one of the pace vehicles...

Sponsor me Here.

--Chuck

Update: I am bad at math, too. I would cost $46 per mile, not 46 cents, to get me to my $5,000 goal--so it's more like the cost of a starbucks coffee and a Krispy Kreme donut...

Update II: The independence fund is donating the Bike, not World Team Sports, but WTS is doing the donations thing & sponsoring the event.

Just the FAQs:

On May 3rd & 4th 2008 World Team Sports, working with The Walter Reed Army Medical Center, The National Naval Medical Center, The Brooke Army Medical Center, The Soldiers Angels Fund, The Severely Injured Semper Fi Fund, and others will be hosting our 2008 Face of America Bike Ride, a two-day inclusive bike ride from Bethesda, MD to historic Gettysburg, PA the National Naval Medical Center to honor and assist our disabled veterans returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

This ride is an opportunity to welcome these disabled servicemen and women ,and able-bodied servicemen and women, as teammates and show them how much we appreciate their efforts. We will also have the opportunity to show them that they can still be a part of the TEAM.

There is no charge for any active duty servicemen or women, both able-bodied and disabled, to participate. The money raised will pay for all the costs of the active duty participants, including accommodations, food, outreach, providing usage of bikes, cycling clinics,and all other costs associated with the ride.