Ross Wunderlich
- National: 733rd
- State: 1st in SD
My Story
I became an avid biker during COVID when we all at the same time were faced with our own mortality. Through all of the biking, I learned more about kids cancer and got involved raising funds to help find the cures. So, again this year in the month of September (this is my 4th year), I am taking part in the Great Cycle Challenge to fight kids' cancer! How did I set my goals? The first year I rode 1000 miles in the month of September. That was crazy. This year, I've got a reasonable goal of 600 miles which is about 150/week. I'm riding less often this year, but making longer rides. You all responded so generously in past years with over $9,300 of investments in Cancer Research. Thank you! I understand that the economy and inflation are taking a toll on everyone's finances again this year. But, the need is still there.
Why am I doing this? Because, cancer is the biggest killer of children from disease in the United States. We are a product of our environment and what we consume. Over 15,700 children are diagnosed every year, and sadly, 38 children die of cancer every week. When I think of my granddaughters possibly being exposed to an environmental hazard or the things in our food possibly causing cancer in them, I want a cure to be there...ahead of time.
Kids should be living life, not fighting for it.
So I am raising funds again this year through my challenge to help these kids and support Children's Cancer Research Fund to allow them to continue their work to develop lifesaving treatments and find a cure for childhood cancer.
Please support me by making a donation to give these kids the brighter futures they deserve. You can donate a lump sum amount or pledge an amount per mile. Pledges per mile motivate me to ride more.
Your support will change little lives.
Thank you.
My Legacy
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1,006 mi Ridden$4,372 Raised2021
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1,480 mi Ridden$3,962 Raised2022
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809 mi Ridden$934 Raised2023
My Challenge
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Today is the last day
30 Sep 2024Well folks, today is the last day of the Great Cycle Challenge. I'll likely NOT be riding today, so 688 miles is it for this year's challenge. Thank you all once again for your support of this mission. If you have any further questions, let me know.
Posted 54 days ago -
34.6 mi ride - Another GCC Bonus Ride - Sunday, September 29, 2024
Logged this ride 55 days ago - View on Strava -
40.6 mi ride - GCC Bonus Ride - Tilford - Saturday, September 28, 2024
Logged this ride 56 days ago - View on Strava -
9/25 - Mission Accomplished
25 Sep 2024Hey everyone. Just letting you know that I was able to achieve the 600 mile goal for the month with today’s ride with Dave out to Sheridan Lake. Great riding weather, conversation, and food truck lunch back in Rspid City. James passed by our picnic table and stopped in for some conversation as well. Great day!
Thank you all again for donating to the cause. We were able to double our funding goal this year. Wow! I along with all the kids battling cancer appreciate your support.
Posted 59 days ago -
51.5 mi ride - GCC Ride #15 - Mission Accomplished - Wednesday, September 25, 2024
Logged this ride 59 days ago - View on Strava -
$2,000 raised to fight kids' cancer!
I just raised $2,000 to fight kids' cancer and achieved LEGEND LEVEL in the challenge! Thank you so much for your support.
Posted 59 days ago -
9/23 Almost Done
24 Sep 2024After today’s ride, I only have 38 miles to go to meet my goal for the month. Woo hoo. Legs are tired although I managed to average 17.6 mph on today’s 50 mile ride. Quite happy with that. Hopefully I can finish this off on my next ride with Dave on Wednesday. Sorry, no pics today.
Posted 60 days ago -
50.1 mi ride - GCC Ride #14 - Tilford + In Town - Monday, September 23, 2024
Logged this ride 61 days ago - View on Strava -
34.4 mi ride - GCC Ride #14 - Windy Day - Sunday, September 22, 2024
Logged this ride 62 days ago - View on Strava -
9/20 Rode My Favorite Route
20 Sep 2024Had a good long ride today out to Hill City. I love this route. Beautiful scenery and lots of climbing….almost 4700 ft. Chilly start so I had to wear my wind breaker which slows me down a bit. Anyway, loved the ride. Got to see my horse friends which both have lots of burrs in their hair 😂. I think I’m at 477 miles for the month so the end is in sight. Have a great weekend. If you want more ride details, follow me on Strava.
Posted 64 days ago -
75.2 mi ride - GCC Ride #13 - My Favorite Route to Hill City - Friday, September 20, 2024
Logged this ride 64 days ago - View on Strava -
9/18 Nemo Rd
18 Sep 2024Tortuous day today. Started off with a dental appt 🤪. Did a strength training day yesterday on legs. So I’m quite sore today. Made it worse with a ride up Nemo Rd which is a beautiful route. However, the climbing was tough, the winds were gusting at over 30 mph, and the road shoulders are very limited. Praise God for His hand of protection in the ride.
Anyway, I’m up to 402 miles for the month. Right on target.
Posted 66 days ago -
51.8 mi ride - GCC Ride #12 - Nemo Rd - Wednesday, September 18, 2024
Logged this ride 66 days ago - View on Strava -
35.3 mi ride - GCC Ride #11 - Canyons Plus - Monday, September 16, 2024
Logged this ride 68 days ago - View on Strava -
9/15 Bear Lodge Mountain MTB Race
15 Sep 2024Well, today’s race over in Sundance was a lot of fun. The trails were awesome which for me means, not too technical (aka not too rocky). Several of my riding friends from Rapid City were in the race. And one of them (James Meek) won the race. Wow! Well done. I met my goal of finishing the 15 mile course in under 2 hours 😁.
Posted 68 days ago -
15.4 mi ride - GCC Ride #10 - Bear Lodge Mountain Classic (MTB Race) - Sunday, September 15, 2024
Logged this ride 69 days ago - View on Strava -
9/14 Halfway There
14 Sep 2024300 miles to date after 2 weeks. Right on target. MTB race tomorrow over in Sundance with some friends from Rapid City. We’re doing great against my funding goal. Thank you all so much! Even got some help from one of my sons 😁. Thx Andrew.
Keep on pedaling……
Posted 70 days ago -
20.4 mi ride - GCC Ride #9 - Early Spin Before a Busy Day - Saturday, September 14, 2024
Logged this ride 70 days ago - View on Strava -
9/11 Two Rides Today
12 Sep 2024Went for an easy does it ride this morning on the gravel bike to spin the legs minimizing climbing. Tonight I went for MTB race tuneup ride with my friend Bharath and two other gents. Likely will take the next two days off to rest up the legs for the race on Sunday. The matching gift day yesterday was a success for the overall GCC fundraiser as a total of $1,787,378 was raised in one day. That’s amazing. My riding friend James helped out with that. Thx James.
Keep on pedaling……,
Posted 72 days ago -
9.7 mi ride - GCC Ride #8 - MTB Tuneup Ride with Bharath - Wednesday, September 11, 2024
Logged this ride 73 days ago - View on Strava -
26.0 mi ride - GCC Ride #7 - Taking it Easy - Wednesday, September 11, 2024
Logged this ride 73 days ago - View on Strava -
9/9 September Fondo
10 Sep 2024For those unfamiliar, a Fondo is 100 km…..or just over 62 miles. Some riders try to do at least one a month. I missed in January this year eventhough I was in GA that month. Oh well. On today’s ride, I did not see “my friends” on my Fondo ride for September. So, I was alone with my thoughts….about how much my legs were hurting and how much slower I was riding today. But, I did climb a lot today so that typically brings down the average speed.
Tomorrow is a big day as we have access to a matching donation. So anything you donate tomorrow will get matched up to a cumulative 1.5 M$. That’s amazing. You are amazing. The kids are amazing. Keep them all in your prayers.
Posted 74 days ago -
66.7 mi ride - GCC Ride #6 - September Fondo - Monday, September 9, 2024
Logged this ride 75 days ago - View on Strava -
9/7 Today I Brought Apples
7 Sep 2024End of week one….177 miles. Off to a good start. I did the same ride today that I did yesterday. But today, I brought apples to my friends.
Posted 77 days ago -
49.3 mi ride - GCC Ride #5 - Same Thing Only Different - Saturday, September 7, 2024
Logged this ride 77 days ago - View on Strava -
Back Home
7 Sep 2024I wasn’t able to ride as much as I would have liked down at Angostora due to the weather…..and fishing 🤪. But had a good ride today back at home and visited some of my new found friends. But I forgot to bring the apples.
Posted 77 days ago -
49.1 mi ride - GCC Ride #4 - Spring Creek - Friday, September 6, 2024
Logged this ride 78 days ago - View on Strava -
19.8 mi ride - GCC Ride #3 - Rainy Ride - Wednesday, September 4, 2024
Logged this ride 80 days ago - View on Strava -
$1,000 raised to fight kids' cancer!
I just raised $1,000 to fight kids' cancer and achieved WARRIOR LEVEL in the challenge! Thank you so much for your support.
Posted 80 days ago -
6.0 mi ride - GCC Ride #2 - Sunset - Monday, September 2, 2024
Logged this ride 81 days ago - View on Strava -
First Ride 9/2
2 Sep 2024Made my first ride today around Angostora Lake near Hot Springs SD. Total ride was 53 miles…..21 of which was on gravel. Not easy riding gravel on 32mm wide tires…..gets a bit hard to steer in loose gravel. It’s quite picturesque around Hot Springs, but rather arid and boring on the south side of the lake. We are camped at the State Park. Walleye fishing tomorrow 😁then ride again on Wednesday….this time with a different bike (wider tires).
Posted 82 days ago -
53.0 mi ride - GCC Ride #1 - Lap Around Angostora - Monday, September 2, 2024
Logged this ride 82 days ago - View on Strava -
Wow.....you folks are awesome!
31 Aug 2024It's August 30th. I haven't done any September rides yet (duh), but I am still doing my normal riding in August. Today, I finished off my goal for the year of completing the last MTB ride of the Centennial Trail in the Black Hills. The views are incredible, and thankfully, I did not have any "wildlife encounters" that can go badly if not handled smart. Next week the riding begins for this GCC endeavor.
Anyway, you all have responded incredibly already nearly meeting the fundraising goal I had set out for this year based on one simple emailed request. I am so thankful for you! The kiddos battling cancer are too. Tell your friends and relatives.
Now I've got work to do........keep on pedaling :)
Have a great Labor Day weekend.
Ross
Posted 84 days ago -
$500 raised to fight kids' cancer!
I just raised $500 to fight kids' cancer and achieved GUARDIAN LEVEL in the challenge! Thank you so much for your support.
Posted 87 days ago -
$250 raised to fight kids' cancer!
I just raised $250 to fight kids' cancer and achieved PROTECTOR LEVEL in the challenge! Thank you so much for your support.
Posted 87 days ago -
$100 raised to fight kids' cancer!
I just raised $100 to fight kids' cancer and achieved DEFENDER LEVEL in the challenge! Thank you so much for your support.
Posted 87 days ago
My Sponsors
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Richard & Amy Pettigrew
$621Received this donation 80 days ago
Ross
“Wow! Thank you Pettigrew’s for your generosity once again….matching my mileage goal. I’m overwhelmed. Appreciate you both.”
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Sony Meruga
$155.25Received this donation 87 days ago
Ross
“Thank you Sony and Jeevan. Your support is very much appreciated. Looking forward to the upcoming semester. Campout tomorrow 😁”
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Andrew Wunderlich
“Keep on keeping on!”
$124.20Received this donation 70 days ago
Ross
“Thanks Andrew for your encouragement and generosity. I’ll keep peddling. See ya next week.”
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Joe McFarland
$124.20Received this donation 87 days ago
Ross
“Thanks Joe for your support and all that you have done for our neighborhood.”
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Alejandro Phillips
“Have fun Ross! I want to see a few 100 milers”
$103.50Received this donation 75 days ago
Ross
“Thank you Alejandro. Good luck with your half training. Say hello to the XOM gang for me.”
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Clayton Beard
“Ride, Brother! Good cause… Deb & Clayton Beard”
$103.50Received this donation 87 days ago
Ross
“Thanks Clayton. I just turned 60.....so I had to reduce my mileage goal a bit this year. I'm not quite as ambitious. We're still camping when we can and getting in rides and fishing while on those trips. Appreciate your support. Say hello to Deb.”
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David and Katy Kinnan
$103.50Received this donation 59 days ago
Ross
“Thank you David and Katy. Big C got me connected with this fundraiser 4 yrs ago and this has been a great way to put all those miles in the saddle to use helping others. The kids battling cancer appreciate your support.”
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Eleanor Allen
“600 miles!!! Way to go, Ross!”
$103.50Received this donation 87 days ago
Ross
“Thanks again Ellen. Your support is very much appreciated. I’ll need to chat with sometime before December as we will likely be in NM in Jan/Feb timeframe. Want to find out more about the Longmire cabin location. 😁”
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Anonymous
$103.50Received this donation 54 days ago
Ross
“Thank you so much for your support and generosity in this fight against kids cancer.”
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Anonymous
$100Received this donation 74 days ago -
Dave Braley
$72.45Received this donation 77 days ago
Ross
“Thank you Dave. I always enjoy getting out riding with you. Hope we can do it again soon. I’ve got a MTB race next weekend so perhaps after that. Your financial support for this Cancer Research effort in September is truly appreciated.”
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Duane Schroeder
$72.45Received this donation 86 days ago
Ross
“Thank you for your donation Duane. Means a lot to me as well as to the kids fighting disease. Hope your trip went well. See ya in Sept.”
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Kevin Van Nostrand
$72.45Received this donation 54 days ago
Ross
“Thanks for your support Kevin. You’ve helped several years now. The kids fighting cancer appreciate your generosity as do I. Today’s ride might be my last for this year’s effort as it’s supposed to turn cold and windy tomorrow. It’s about time…..97 F today. We’ll see. Say hello to Connie.”
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Bill O'Rafferty
“Ride well.”
$51.75Received this donation 85 days ago
Ross
“Thank you Bill. You have a great heart either way all your LYN and Saturday Serve support….and now this too. Appreciate it.”
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Cathi and Dana Legner
$51.75Received this donation 85 days ago
Ross
“Thank you so much Dana and Cathy. Your donation means a lot to the kids fighting for their lives. And I appreciate your support as well. You are a great neighbor.”
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Suz Bracewell
“Go Ross!! Your dedication to this cause is inspiring - Happy Riding!”
$51.75Received this donation 85 days ago
Ross
“Thank you Brad and Suz. Your support means a lot to me as well as to the kiddos fighting for their lives. Now that you two are riding, you could join team Swarty in this endeavor….🤪. See you soon.”
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James Meek
$36.23Received this donation 74 days ago
Ross
“Thank you James for your support. Your donation will be matched today. Awesome. Looking forward to our race on Sunday. See you there.”
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Kurt Katzenstein
“Go Ross! Thanks for supporting this great cause!”
$36.23Received this donation 86 days ago
Ross
“Hey Kurt and Lisa….thanks for your support in this endeavor. I love riding and this is a great way to put those miles to work helping others. The kids fighting for their lives appreciate your help as well. Hope to see ya sometime soon. Btw, congrats to Lisa.”
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Nancy Wunderlich
“Congrats for doing this again.. These kids can use all the help they can get. Good luck in meeting your goal.”
$36.23Received this donation 82 days ago
Ross
“Thank you Nancy. I appreciate your support in this endeavor. Yes, cancer is becoming more and more prevalent in kids. I think our food has a lot to do with that. Hope all is well in Greenville. I’ll keep pedaling. Took my first ride today around Angostora Lake near Hot Springs SD….53 miles.”
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Kick Cancer's Butt Day matched donation
“Here's your matched donation from a group of wonderful Children's Cancer Research Fund supporters. THANK YOU so much for your awesome efforts to kick cancer's butt!”
$30.40Received this donation 73 days ago