Any one living along the biker's route along the East Coast [Georgia, the Carolina's, Virginia, Maryland & NJ-NY] might want to look at their tour schedule [below] and see if they'll be going through your town. Maybe you can go out to cheer them on!
Trio starts East Coast bike trek Wednesdayhttp://www.northwes%20tgeorgia.%20com/local/%20local_story_%20223185131.%20html
Dalton massage therapist is one of three bicyclists attempting to pedal 1,300 miles along the Eastern Seaboard - starting Wednesday - to raise funds to fight Huntington's Disease. Kathleen Vlodek, a masseuse who works out of The Good Earth health food store in Bry-Man's Plaza, her husband Bryan Hensley, and their friend, Hector Victoria, started pedaling at 7 a.m. Wednesday from Fountain of Youth Park in St. Augustine, Fla., on their "Slowing the Way" fundraiser. Their destination is Central Park in New York City in 30 days.Victoria, 37, whose father died from the disease, was diagnosed with Huntington's earlier this year. His dad took up riding a bicycle before he became confined to a nursing home, so it was Victoria's idea for the fundraiser. "He said, 'Hey, let's take a bike ride for adventure' to us one day, and that's how it started," said Vlodek, 36. "We had a special bike made for Hector that has 24 gears. It's the same frame we bought from a friend who rode a bike across the country for (a) leukemia (fundraiser) ."Along the way they'll hug the coastline of the Atlantic Ocean, taking ferries from one barrier island to another. The small contingent will spend the night in hotels procured by the Huntington's Disease Society of America or stay in the homes of those whose family members have been affected by the disease.Thus far they've raised slightly more than $4,000, but their goal is at least $20,000. That means they'll be peddling their message along the way. They will do that by trying to get their trip publicized in local newspapers and visiting bike shops to dispense pledge cards they've created.
According to the Huntington's Disease Society of America Web site (www.hdsa.org) , it is "a devastating, hereditary, degenerative brain disorder for which there is, at present, no effective treatment or cure. HD slowly diminishes the affected individual's ability to walk, think, talk and reason. Eventually, the person with HD becomes totally dependent upon others for his or her care."Victoria has only been riding a stationary bike inside for six months, but thinks he's ready for the ride - even though the temperature in St. Augustine Tuesday afternoon was 100 degrees. "I don't think it (the ride) will have an effect on me yet," the Philadelphia, Pa., resident said. "It will still be a couple more years before I'm affected by Huntington's. "But Hensley, 32, said they're not taking any chances. "We'll be keeping an eye on Hector and on each other," he said. "And of course, we'll be drinking lots of water, taking vitamins and making lots of stops. You also have to eat way more often than you think you would need to."They hope to cover 40 to 45 miles a day, with their longest day topping off at 65 miles. "I believe they'll be able to do it," said Cassie Pewitt, a massage therapist at The Good Earth.
"They're supposed to be calling me throughout the trip and I'll be posting their blogs on MySpace."Vlodek said there may also be clips placed on YouTube.
Two Web sites are devoted to tracking the trek - www.firstgiving. com/slowingthewa y and www.myspace. com/slowingtheway
We will send out daily updates, videos, as we head north slowing the way.
TRIP Route & Mileage [from the MySpace link]Arrive in
St. Augustine, FL on Tues,
August 11thWeds,
August 12th Fountain of Youth Park to St. Amelia Island,
FL 56.5 milesThurs,
August 13th Amelia Island,
FL to Brunswick,
GA 56 miles Fri,
August 14th Brunswick,
GA to Richmond Hill,
FA 62.3 miles Sat,
August 15th Richmond Hill,
GA to Savannah,
GA 25 milesSun,
August 16th Savannah,
GA to Beaufort,
SC 43.1 milesMon,
August 17th Beaufort,
SC to Charleston,
SC 69 milesTues,
August 18th Day OffWeds,
August 19th Charleston,
SC to Georgetown,
SC 59 milesThurs,
August 20th Georgetown,
SC to Myrtle Beach,
SC 36 miles Fri,
August 21st Myrtle Beach,
SC to Shallotte,
NC 38 milesSat,
August 22nd Shallotte,
NC to Carolina Beach,
NC 40 milesSun,
August 23rd Carolina Beach,
NC to North Topsail Beach,
NC 50 miles Mon,
August 24th North Topsail Beach,
NC to Atlantic Beach,
NC 66 miles Tues,
August 25th Atlantic Beach,
NC to Ocracoke,
NC 64.3 miles Weds,
August 26th Ocracoke,
NC to Rodanthe,
NC 54 milesThurs,
August 27th Rodanthe,
NC to Kitty Hawk,
NC 40 miles Fri,
August 28th Kitty Hawk,
NC to Coinjock,
NC 35 miles Sat,
August 29th Coinjock,
NC to Virginia Beach,
VA 50 miles Sun,
August 30th Day Of
fMon, August 31st Virginia Beach,
VA to Cape Charles,
VA 44 milesTues,
Sept. 1st Cape Charles,
VA to Pocomoke City,
MD 66 milesWeds,
Sept. 2nd Pocomoke City,
MD to Ocean City,
MD 44 milesThurs,
Sept. 3rd Ocean City,
MD to Wildwood Gables, NJ 53 miles
Fri, Sept. 4th Wildwood Gables,
NJ to Atlantic City,
39 miles Sat, Sept. 5th Atlantic City,
NJ to Tom Rivers,
NJ 54 milesSun,
Sept. 6th Tom Rivers,
NJ to Atlantic
Highlands,
NJ 50 miles Mon
, Sept. 7th Day OffTues,
Sept. 8th Atlantic Highlands,
NJ to Central Park, NY
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