Their mission is to spread awareness on disabilities, raise grant funding, and squash misconceptions along the way. “People fail to see others for who they are, they classify them by disability,” says cyclist, Alex Emeigh.
This is something which hits close to home for these cyclists, which motivates each of them to push past challenges on the road. “It’s really the mental game is harder than the physical one; It’s so many hours on a bike you have to stay positive,” adds cyclist Gabriel Miranda.
But the ride is more than that. It’s the people struck by disability in each of their lives that inspire them to embark on this journey. Like cyclist Jonathan Matheny’s aunt, who went into a coma after being struck by a drunk driver.
“Doctors were unsure if she’d make it out–she lost the majority of brain function and motor skills,” says Matheny. Then there’s Gabriel, whose cousin was impacted by Cerebral Palsy. “It’s totally physical disability which means his mind is totally fine,” Miranda explains.