Good morning to everyone that donated the final numbers are in for a total collection of hard work and efforts:
The results are in for the 2025 Great Cycle Challenge...
Together, we have raised $7,198,581 to fight kids' cancer! š
Not to bad at all! āThank you allā
Bill
So the goal was 250 miles⦠and I ended up riding 260. Apparently, I donāt understand the concept of āstop.ā Guess my legs decided, āHey, while weāre here letās tack on a bonus 10.ā
But hereās the real kicker ā today the 2025 Great Cycle Challenge comes to a close, and together all the riders managed to rack up some absolutely crazy numbers:
š“ 1,608,489 miles ridden (for reference, thatās basically circling the Earth about 65 times, or just trying to find a parking spot at Costco).
š° $6,800,096 raised (which, in todayās economy, buys about 12 gallons of gas or a dozen eggsā but in the fight against childhood cancer, itās priceless).
Letās be clear: those numbers arenāt just impressive, theyāre life-changing. Every dollar, every pedal stroke, every time I got off my bike looking like Iād just got trampled at the all you can eat buffetā it all mattered.
So from the bottom of my tired legs and grateful heart: Thank you to everyone who donated, cheered, tolerated my whining, and believed in this mission. You helped turn a crazy bike challenge into real hope for kids who need it most.
Mission complete. Heart overflowing!
Thank you all,
Already looking forward to next year š
Well, here we are, folks ā 205 miles into this 250-mile ride for childrenās cancer. Let me tell you, my legs now communicate exclusively in curse words, and my bike seat and I are no longer on speaking terms.
Iāve got 5 days left, which means Iāve been doing math in my head like a Tour de France dropout: āIf I ride X miles per day while eating Y amount of granola bars and praying Z number of times for a tailwind, I might just cross the finish line upright.ā
The truth is, every single mile hurts in ways I canāt explain without a medical diagram, but every single mile also matters. This ride isnāt about me whining over sore quads ā itās about kids and families who fight a battle way tougher than a few days on a bike. They donāt get to coast downhill or shift into an easier gear, and thatās why I keep pedaling.
Iām thankful for everyone whoās cheered me on, donated, or just refrained from yelling, āHey, Tour de France reject!ā as I wobble past. Your support keeps me going ā that and the promise of a celebratory cheeseburger the size of my helmet when this thing is over.
So hereās to the last 45 miles. Five days, one tired rider, and a whole lot of heart left to give. Stick with me, keep cheering, and if you see me on the road, maybe toss a Gatorade my way. Just donāt aim for the helmet ā my balance is sketchy enough already.
Well, here we areāweek four. Out of the original 250 miles, Iāve chewed through 160, and Iāve got 90 left staring me down like the last slice of pizza nobody wants to admit theyāre too full to eat. Except this slice is uphill, sweaty, and does nothing for my blood sugar.
Iām not gonna lieāmy legs feel like theyāve been through a meat grinder, my butt is petitioning for emancipation, and Iām starting to think my bike seat is actually a medieval torture device designed by someone who really hated cyclists. But hereās the deal: I didnāt sign up for āeasy.ā I signed up to ride for kids fighting cancer, and letās face itāthey donāt get to tap out when things get tough. So Iām not either.
This last stretchā90 milesāmeans every crank of the pedal is one step closer to proving that stubbornness, sweat, and maybe a little stupidity can add up to something meaningful.
So if you see me out there this week, donāt be alarmed if I look like Iām auditioning for a zombie apocalypse movie. Just honk, wave, or better yetāthrow snacks. Iāll catch them. Probably.
And hey, if you havenāt already, consider tossing a donation into the pot. Every mile I ride is for the kids who canāt, and every dollar helps keep the fight alive.
90 to go. Letās finish this thing strong.
Well folks, Iāve officially pedaled my way through 123 miles of this 250-mile ride. Thatās right ā Iām past the halfway mark. My legs are somewhere between āTour de France heroā and āold man yelling at clouds.ā
So whatās left? Just 127 more miles. Piece of cake, right? Except the cake is made of asphalt, sweat, and me cursing at hills that seem to get taller every damn day.
But hereās the thing ā every push on those pedals matters. Every sore muscle, every groan when I sit down on a hard chair, itās all for something bigger than me: fighting childhood cancer. Those kids donāt get to tap out when it hurts, so neither do I.
If youāve already donated, you rock harder than AC/DC on a Friday night. If you havenāt yet, well⦠consider this your guilt-trip wrapped in sarcasm. Toss a few bucks toward the cause ā itāll go further than my hamstrings ever will.
Now buckle up, because Week 3 is where I either become a legend⦠or a meme.
Two weeks down, and the legs are starting to get that familiar burn that says, āYeah, youāre doing something that matters.ā Iām closing in on 100 miles in my ride for childrenās cancer, and while the saddle time is no joke, it doesnāt compare to what these kids face every single day. Thatās why I keep pedaling forward.
This week had its share of sweat, heavy legs, and a few mental battles, but every turn of the crank is fuel for the bigger mission: raising awareness and support for children fighting cancer. Heading into week 3, the momentum is there, the miles are stacking up, and the finish line at 250 miles is looking a little closer.
If youāve already supported this causeāthank you from the bottom of my heart. Youāre part of this ride. If you havenāt yet, thereās still plenty of road left to jump in and make a difference. Every little bit adds up, just like every mile on the bike.
Onward to week 3. Letās keep those wheels turning.
Alright, Iām officially past the honeymoon phase of this ride. The first 60 miles were pure adrenaline ā the excitement of starting, the buzz of week one. But week two? Thatās when the ride looks you dead in the eye and says, āOkay, tough guy, letās see what youāve really got.ā
The legs are heavier, the saddle feels like itās got a personal grudge against me, and the weather doesnāt always cooperate. But hereās the thing: every time I start thinking about how sore I am, I remember the kids Iām riding for. They donāt get a break. They donāt get to call ātime outā on chemo, on treatments, on the hard stuff. And if they can keep pushing, so can I.
Thereās something gritty and honest about week two ā itās not shiny, itās not easy, but itās real progress. The miles are stacking up, the finish line is still a ways off, but the mission feels stronger than ever.
So here I am, pressing forward. Another chunk of the 250 knocked down, another reminder that weāre all stronger than we think.
(If youād like to back this ride and help in the fight against childrenās cancer, any donation ā big or small ā adds fuel to the cause. No pressure, just impact.)
One week in, over 60 miles behind me, and Iāve got to tell you ā I feel pumped. Not just āI had a good workoutā pumped. I mean full-on, heart-thumping, legs-burning, this is bigger than me kind of pumped.
When I first set out on this 250-mile ride for childrenās cancer, I knew it would be a grind. But what I didnāt expect was how much energy Iād pull from every single mile. Each push of the pedals isnāt just forward motion ā itās a reminder that kids battling cancer donāt get to stop when theyāre tired. They donāt get to coast downhill when the climb feels endless. They fight every single day.
This week taught me something: the road is long, but it feels a whole lot shorter when youāve got purpose riding shotgun.
So here I am, legs sore, seat definitely not winning any comfort awards, but spirit sky-high. 60+ miles down, 190 more to go. Every crank forward is for those kids and their families ā because they deserve to see finish lines too.
Week two, Iām coming for you.
(If youād like to support the ride and help the fight against childrenās cancer, even a small donation makes a big difference. No pressure ā just gratitude.)
Well, the wheels are officially turning. Today I kicked off my 250-mile challenge for childrenās cancer ride and logged my first 16 miles. It wasnāt about speed records or showing offāit was about putting one pedal stroke in front of the other and starting this journey strong.
Every mile today reminded me why Iām riding: for the kids who canāt just hop on a bike and cruise down the road because theyāre stuck fighting something much bigger. If they can keep battling every single day, the least I can do is push through the sweat, the sore legs, and the hills that feel like theyāre out for revenge.
I wonāt lieā16 miles is just the warm-up. Thereās a long road ahead, but thatās the point. This ride is about endurance, not just on the bike but in spirit. Itās about showing that even when the miles feel heavy, we donāt stop.
So hereās to Day 1: the first pedal strokes of many. Tomorrow, the journey continues. Letās keep pushing, keep pedaling, and most importantlyākeep fighting for the kids.
Most people think 250 miles on a bike sounds insane. I think childhood cancer is a hell of a lot more insane. So this September, Iām strapping on my helmet, climbing into the saddle, and grinding out every single one of those 250 milesānot for me, but for the kids fighting battles way bigger than sore legs and burning lungs.
This isnāt just a month or riding. Itās a statement. Every mile is a punch in the face to cancer, every drop of sweat a reminder that no child should have to fight for their life before itās even really started. Iāve got a road full of asphalt, hills that wonāt care about my excuses, and a cause worth every ounce of fight I can give.
Iām riding because they canāt. Iām riding because they deserve better. And Iām riding because together, we can turn miles into medicine, and effort into hope.