Journey of Hope cycles through Sanders County
<p><span>Deshé Gully lifts his bicycle over his head after completing the trip from Sandpoint, ID. to Thompson Falls last week.</p><p></span></p>
THOMPSON FALLS – A group of cyclists made their way through Sanders County for a good cause last week.
The 28 cyclists, one of three Journey of Hope teams pedaling across the expanse of the United States this summer, have embarked upon their journey to spread a message of acceptance and awareness for those with disabilities.
All three teams are composed of members of the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity, an organization with membership at universities in states throughout the country.
The college cyclists arrived at Thompson Falls High School in the early afternoon of Friday, June 12, after starting their day across the state line in Sandpoint, ID.
The team, part of the Journey of Hope’s, TransAmerica trek, started their cross-country journey in Seattle and will finish off their summer in Washington D.C.
According to Deshé Gully, a cyclist with the group from Long Beach, CA., the team left Sandpoint around 6 a.m. and traveled 90 miles to get to Thompson Falls.
On Saturday they headed to Missoula and the group got a well-deserved day off on Sunday.
“We did 90 miles today, our average is 80 miles per day. Tomorrow we will do a century, 100 miles,” Gully said.
Gully added their was substantial preparations for the summer journey with the organization’s website recommending participating cyclists undertake 1,500 miles of training before the trek.
Despite the long days Gully said it was all worth it.
“We are doing this for a great cause and the friendship visits help to lighten up the tough days,” Gully said.
The friendship visits are when the cyclists get to meet those who they are supporting and who will benefit from the money raised by their efforts.
According to Evan Camejo, a student from Boca Raton, FL., the Journey of Hope groups have raised $540,000 to date and hope to raise $600,000 by the end of the 2015 edition of the trek.
The Journey of Hope began in 1988, but the TransAmerica portion of the three-tiered journey started in 2004 and is the newest length of the summer event.
After they cyclists conclude their travels in the District of Columbia in early August they will have covered 32 different states and pedaled over 12,000 miles.
The university cyclists work in conjunction with The Ability Experience, a non-profit organization that works to assist people with disabilities.
Camejo said his favorite part of the trip was meeting all the people they are helping out along the way.
“This has been amazing. It’s been great to meet the different people we are helping out,” Camejo said.