BOISE, Idaho — John Bladholm and Chris Ray are on a 3,500-mile bike ride that is fueled by wanting to help others. The two Pacific City, Ore. men have finished the sixth leg of their cross-country bike ride, known as the Nationwide Ride.
"It's something I'll never forget," Bladhom said. "It's kind of like that bucket list experience we'll talk about for many years to come."
The ride began on 'Good Morning America' on July 5. They two have been biking about 85 miles every day for the past six weeks, with one more week to go until they're home.
Bladholm and Ray were inspired to do a ride like this because they were tired of being inside their homes all day due to the pandemic.
"We're getting sore in places that we haven't been sore before," laughed Ray. "It's been a grind."
While Oregon may be where the two call home, they both have ties to Idaho. Bladholm went to school at the University of Idaho in Moscow and Ray attended the College of Idaho in Caldwell. They're glad to be back and said the ride through the Gem State has been interesting, to say the least.
"Three hours ago we saw a heard of antelope and three hours later we're downtown watching people surf on a wave," Bladholm said.
However, the Nationwide Ride is much more than just sightseeing around the country; it's about shining a spotlight and raising money for eight foundations. They divided the U.S. into seven areas. Each section is about 500 miles in length and represents a foundation.
The section from Ten Sheep, Wyo. to Boise was geared towards helping Feeding America and filling up the Idaho Food Bank.
"One out of six children and one out of eight adults have issues with just putting food in the pantry and kitchen," Bladholm said. "Every dollar donated can provide up to 10 meals."
100% of the proceeds raised go towards each of the eight organizations. Their goal is to raise $10,000 dollars for each foundation.
"COVID-19 has had 18 months of just not very much fun activity," Ray said. "We hope that this sparks the communities' interests in wanting to do nice things for other people."
Nationwide Ride will not know the total amount raised until after the end of the ride on August 22, but they said they will not stop until $10,000 is reached for each organization. They have received individual donations made online, text donations, corporate donations and checks/cash donations made on the road.
But whatever the outcome is, Bladholm and Ray are glad to have the support and capabilities to do a bike ride like this.
"It's been an awesome journey and no one I'd rather do it with," Bladholm said.
To donate and find out more about the foundations involved, click here.
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