Jared's Bike Trip - For Pete's Sake Cancer Respite Foundation

11/13/2025

Next summer will be the 10th anniversary of my accident sustained while riding across the country in Sioux City IA area. I plan to ride again for For Pete's Sake Cancer Respite Foundation again. I will be retracing my entire route of my 1800 mile trip from Astoria, Oregon to Hinton, IA that I did before injury. I will again be focused on my efforts raising 10k for the charity for two families of cancer patients to have week-long respite vacations as they "take a break from cancer". A thousand dollars for every year I've pushed thru the hell that is spinal cord injury. I plan to revisit and stay with every single one of my friends I made and hosted me nightly. I always told you all I would be back someday. There will be no wheelchair. Just the bike and the open road. This time I know the way. I know everywhere I'm going. I'll be in touch again early next summer. Like/comment if you are still here all these years later my warm showers/couch surfing host friends. Some of you are not on here and will be hard to find. But I'll try my best when next summer comes around. I will fly to Portland, get a ride to Astoria, and bike to the Missouri River just in time for RAGBRAI. I will have the chair shipped to wherever the ride will start next year, complete RAGBRAI for the 5th year in a row, and fly home most likely from Moline. The camera will be rolling front and rear. There will likely be more police pullovers. More people will learn what a handcycle is. Who knows what will happen...it's called an adventure for a reason. The only sure way to fail is to not try. The only way to have regret is to not do your best. It’s been nearly a decade, and it’s time to go back to where it all started.

02/08/2024

Finally going home. It's been a trip. I'm invoking this going forward. Sounds better than it's been a day. Despise that phrase. Often used by people dealing with mickey mouse levels of stress and inconvenience. First time flying out of JAX. Small and convenient. Good view of ocean taking off at sunset. Shuttle was very quick at the Microtel. Used a chair to get from the room to the lobby as a walker. Stopped at firehouse subs before boarding. The guy wanted to go right to the gate but it had only just begun boarding as we got there and I said I'm not starving myself. Had the sandwich on plane right before take off. Took off 10 mins early. Well done. 19$ flight. Never get that again probably. Flight is 1/3 full at best, and yet I was put in row 29. Girl said you can be in row 2. No news is good news on getting the bike. Signing off. Will now return to using regular profile. Here ends the reading. Pap: 3:16.

02/07/2024

Cajun seafood dinner of tilapia and shrimp Creole with rice pilaf and loaded baked potato. second dinner of impossible burger. Goodbye Ruby Tuesday for the meal. Seemed fitting. Didn't eat lunch so had to load up. Cyclist like to eat, and the good ones like to party. I ain't here for a long time, I am here for a good time. Cue up George

02/07/2024

"Inspiring people to live in high definition, not watch it. Promoting active lifestyles to combat type two diabetes inspire teach and demonstrate how to live a successful, happy lifestyle with type one diabetes"
-Ryan Dewald

https://winningtheracewithdiabetes.org

With the trip finished, in exchange for the pictures and entertainment provided, I would ask you donate to this cause that I rode for as you are able. The original trip I rode on when I got disabled was for For Pete's sake cancer respite foundation, where I raised 10k for cancer patients, and then an additional 7k when I finished what I started with my handcycle. This trip was done for type two diabetes awareness and my friend/teammate's cause. Like myself, Ryan struggled with his diagnosis and came out on top. We had a lot to work thru to continue being elite athletes. He has always supported me thru my early racing career and ever since. It is a privilege to be included on his team, Skyline Cadence. I completed my first race with the new team just this past Saturday at the Swamp Classic in Gainesville. I was on a mission to make it there no matter what, so I did have to cut the trip biking a few days short to rent a car and jet. I look forward to a bright future and will be back in Phoenix in just a week to again compete in the Valley of the Sun stage race. I also hope to meet with the extremely generous officer who helped me with my flat and gave me a long ride. We have exchanged contacts and plan to grab a meal. Perhaps he can catch the crit race. It's truly amazing how good people have helped me amidst my crazy adventures. A true testament to the human spirit and how I know I'm doing what I am supposed to be doing. I will continue to complete these trips and raise money for charities as long as I live. It's the least I can do for all the people who donated to my recovery and believed in me. I'll never stop riding. Thanks for your support. Till next time.

WTRWD

02/07/2024

JAX extended version. Microtel has a free shuttle to and from airport. normal checkout 12pm, already requested 1pm. Will twidle thumbs in lobby 1-4, then shuttle to airport. Nice place and hopefully a nice bkfst. Used case as walker to get to room. Carpet should not be in an ada room. Now to work on throwing skills from the bed. Denied. Still getting the 19$ flight tomorrow as it was rebooked within the window to not pay the 99$ fee. Apparently you can still pull that with frontier. Something about as long as the flight didn't leave yet she said. Time to order in

02/06/2024

The Uber XL was not available in the area. Flying tomorrow. Would have thought booking the Uber at 4 to fly at 622 would've been early enough 5 miles away. I did however get them to waive the 25$ pickup fee at the ups store. Do not ever ship to a ups store. Some places charge you a pickup fee. So how did I get out of it? I played the ADA card. It's medical equipment. I have catheters in the bike case. I need them to p**s. You aren't making me pay $25 to take a p**s. I spend enough money on disability equipment.

02/06/2024

If anyone is available to pick me up at the PHL airport tonight at 9pm and take me to leesport, please pm me. cash paid. Thanks.

02/06/2024

The hotel breakfast buffet that goes till 10. Vital part of saving buying a meal and being good till dinner. Brunch is served

02/06/2024

Proof my flight was $19 Jax to phl

02/06/2024

Overall the trip was a success. A broken spoke would set you back to needing a ride if you were 40 miles out and able-bodied. As would a flat when you were 2.5 miles away from the hotel at 37 degrees and dropping. Basically full independence was maintained benign of being disabled. Hopefully more people realize that the potentials are endless of what you can do after a set back with the right mindset. That said, I had been meaning to go over my list of things I brought. The only thing I didn't bring, which I did on my original trip, was a spoke wrench a spare spoke or two, and a few spoke ni***es. The guy at the shop in Phoenix donated those things to me. Remember I didn't camp, so I had no need to cook or bring sleeping gear. The pack was likely about 20lbs. Here's what was in the picture I posted the day before I left. Everything I needed, and nothing I didn't. I ran into a lot of different weather with the desert and the cold weather gear was a must. I was comfortable at night. The temps would've been way too hot to do this route in the summer. Early spring and late fall are the best however to maximize daylight and mild weather. 150 a day is realistic number. 200 was simply too much to expect to do every day

Two bike battery chargers
Two spare taillights
Chain break
Headlamp
Multi tool
Chain wear indicator
Chain l**e
2 spare tires
4 tubes
Patch kit
2 charging blocks
3 USB c cords
2 USB micro cords
Di2 charger
Camp pillow Big Agnes
Tooth brushes and 4 oz toothpaste
Dental floss
Travel sunblock
Beard oil
Beard comb
Electric razor
Sunglasses and case
Microfiber cloth and glasses paste cleaner
Vitamin c and prescription
Down coat
Wind jacket
Two pairs socks
Castelli winter gloves
Arm warmers
Balaclava
Leg warmers
Winter bib tights
Under armor long sleeve
Two jerseys
Two bib tights
Running shorts
Cycliq camera
Micro SD card reader
E-bike powered front light
Two individual use laundry detergents
Ear plugs
Sawyer mini water filter
Fumpa pump
Topeak digital tire gauge
O'Keefe's working hands
Camelback
Water bottle for when off bike or reserves
25 liter backpack
Anker 20k maH power bank
Band aids
Cath kits

02/06/2024

Cracker Barrel. Loaded baked potato as an extra side. Lemon pepper rainbow trout and dumplings. Last meal of the trip. Hotel breakfast buffet tomorrow. What a concept checking in at 3pm to relax. 3pm-11am.. now that's your money's worth at the hotel.

02/05/2024

Got the car back to JAX with time to spare. Checking in at the hotel nearby now. Will ride to the nearby UPs tomorrow to get the case and ship the batteries home. Pack bike into the case and Uber XL to the airport. Final leg. Goal was to make it in time for the 19$ flight tomorrow booked with frontier back to Philly. Mission accomplished. What happenin' Jackson?

What is with this goofball driving with his hydraulics like that? No way he can see anything but the sky. I looked at him as I went past