2026 Transamerica Team
2026 TransAmerica Team & Family Information
Journey of Hope is an exciting and distinctive opportunity, and this year’s team is well-equipped for the journey ahead. This page contains an overview of this summer’s TransAmerica Route experience, including key dates, travel information and other helpful details for participants and their family members.
2026 TransAmerica Route
Follow the TransAmerica team on social media
TransAmerica Route Dates and Details
Details for 2026 are being finalized. Please check back soon for updates.
Orientation offers a chance for team members to get acquainted, learn about people with disabilities and participate in skills assessments, training rides and safety training to prepare them for the life-changing events ahead.
Cyclist Travel Information
Cyclists on the TransAmerica team must arrive at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) for the Team Orientation no later than 2:00 p.m. PT on Friday, May 29. Anyone driving or arriving prior to May 29 will have two options. You can report directly to Camp Stand By Me in Vaughn, WA, by 3 p.m. or meet at Seattle airport by 2 p.m. on Friday, May 29.
Once you have booked your travel to Seattle, please complete the Journey of Hope Orientation Travel form.
Crew Travel Information
All crew members must arrive at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) for Journey of Hope Crew Training no later than 2:00 p.m. Eastern on Monday, May 25. Transportation from SEA Airport will be provided.
Getting Your Bike To Orientation
All cyclists should bring their bikes on the plane as a checked bag. Check with the airline when booking your flight to confirm fees, but most major airlines charge a standard checked bag fee for bike boxes.
The bike should be packed in a cardboard bike box. Any team members using a hard-case bike box must ship it home. Contact your local bike shop for help packing your bike. They should be able to provide you with a box for free or pack it for a small cost. Here is a video of how to pack a cardboard bike box yourself. Write your name on the outside of the box to be able to identify it at orientation.
Journey of Hope TransAmerica Kickoff Dinner
The Ability Experience will host The Journey of Hope TransAmerica Kickoff Dinner on Tuesday, June 2. The dinner location has yet to be finalized.
Check back later to register for the Kickoff Dinner
Journey of Hope TransAmerica Kickoff
The Journey of Hope TransAmerica team will depart from the Mural Amphitheater at Seattle Center (305 Harrison St, Seattle, WA 98109 — near the Space Needle) on Wednesday, June 3, for Enumclaw, WA, on their first day of cycling. The team will depart at 7:30 a.m. Please arrive at 7:00 a.m. to allow plenty of time for photos prior to the team’s Circle-Up and departure. No registration is necessary for the send-off.
Joining your Team Member for Orientation and Kickoff
Family and friends are welcome and encouraged to attend the kickoff; however, any family or friends planning on coming to Seattle must understand that Orientation is for the team to prepare as a group for their time on the road. Availability to be with family during this time will be limited. Most family and friends take this time to see some of the different sites around Seattle. In fact, some team members and their families arrive early to sight-see.
If you have any questions about kickoff events, please contact us.
Hotel Accommodations
Team members will stay in Seattle on Tuesday, June 2. Team members will be staying at the Four Points by Sheraton Downtown Seattle Center.
The Ability Experience will provide accommodations for team members.
Family and friends are responsible for booking their own accommodations while in Seattle. We have secured a discounted room block at this hotel. The cut-off date for this room block rate is Wednesday, April 29.
You can book your room here.
If you have any questions about the kickoff events in Seattle, please contact Andrew Matznick.
Sites to See
Seattle is a wonderful place full of history and things to do. Remember, if you want to explore these sights with your family, you must do so before orientation; there will not be time during orientation. Below are some local attractions in Seattle and the surrounding areas:
- Pike Place Market
- Space Needle
- Woodland Park Zoo
- Waterfront Park
- Seattle Great Wheel
- Kerry Park
Distance Cycled: 50 Miles
Friendship Visit: Ashley House Kids
Ashley House Kids has been a Friendship Visit partner since 2011
Summer Ride Along registration closes 14 days prior to your intended ride date.
Distance Cycled: 125 Miles
Summer Ride Along registration closes 14 days prior to your intended ride date.
Distance Cycled: 85 Miles
Friendship Visit: Arc of Tri Cities
Arc of Tri Cities has been a Friendship Visit partner since 2011!
Summer Ride Along registration closes 14 days prior to your intended ride date.
Distance Cycled: 70 Miles
Summer Ride Along registration closes 14 days prior to your intended ride date.
Distance Cycled: 110 Miles
Summer Ride Along registration closes 14 days prior to your intended ride date.
Distance Cycled: 85 Miles
Friendship Visit: Arc of Spokane & Ashley House
Arc of Spokane has been a Friendship Visit partner since 2011!
Summer Ride Along registration closes 14 days prior to your intended ride date.
Distance Cycled: 45 Miles
Summer Ride Along registration closes 14 days prior to your intended ride date.
Distance Cycled: 55 Miles
Friendship Visit: Panhandle Special Needs
Panhandle Special Needs has been a Friendship Visit partner since 2018!
Summer Ride Along registration closes 14 days prior to your intended ride date.
Distance Cycled: 90 miles
Summer Ride Along registration closes 14 days prior to your intended ride date.
Distance Cycled: 105 Miles
Summer Ride Along registration closes 14 days prior to your intended ride date.
Distance Cycled: 50 Miles
Friendship Visit: Ravalli Services
Summer Ride Along registration closes 14 days prior to your intended ride date.
Distance Cycled: 100 Miles
Summer Ride Along registration closes 14 days prior to your intended ride date.
Distance Cycled: 125 Miles
Summer Ride Along registration closes 14 days prior to your intended ride date.
Distance Cycled: 80 miles
Summer Ride Along registration closes 14 days prior to your intended ride date.
Distance Cycled: 80 miles
Summer Ride Along registration closes 14 days prior to your intended ride date.
Distance Cycled: 115 Miles
Summer Ride Along registration closes 14 days prior to your intended ride date.
Distance Cycled: 90 Miles
Summer Ride Along registration closes 14 days prior to your intended ride date.
Distance Cycled: 95 Miles
Summer Ride Along registration closes 14 days prior to your intended ride date.
Distance Cycled: 105 Miles
Friendship Visit: The Arc of Natrona County
The Arc of Natrona County has been a Friendship Visit partner since 2007!
Summer Ride Along registration closes 14 days prior to your intended ride date.
Distance Cycled: 125 Miles
Summer Ride Along registration closes 14 days prior to your intended ride date.
Distance Cycled: 75 Miles
Friendship Visit: The Arc of Laramie County
The Arc of Laramie County has been a Friendship Partner since 2003!
Summer Ride Along registration closes 14 days prior to your intended ride date.
Distance Cycled: 60 Miles
Summer Ride Along registration closes 14 days prior to your intended ride date.
Distance Cycled: 50 Miles
Summer Ride Along registration closes 14 days prior to your intended ride date.
Family Visit Event in Denver
The Ability Experience is pleased to offer the family and friends of our team members the chance to experience life as a team member. Family and friends will get to see what the men have been doing by joining the team for events in Denver. There is free time set aside on one of the days for team members to spend time alone with their friends and family visiting. Learn more about visiting your team member in Denver.
We also invite family and friends to our arrival celebration in Washington, D.C.
Tuesday, June 30
12:30 p.m. – Arrival at Colorado Capitol Building (west side)
2 p.m. – Check in to hotel and free time
4 p.m. – Pedal for Pennies event at Denver City Park
11:45 p.m. – Team Curfew
Wednesday, July 1
8:30 a.m. – Breakfast with Mountaingate
10 a.m. – Free time
12 p.m. – Optional team lunch
10:30 p.m. – Team Curfew
Thursday, July 2
6:30 a.m. – Team circle-ups and team send-offs from lodging
Hotel Information
Both teams will be staying at the Hyatt Centric Downtown Denver. Rooms will be provided for all team members. All team members are required to stay in their assigned team room.
Family and friends can book a room at the Hyatt Centric Downtown Denver hotel at our discounted group rate.
The deadline to book is June 1, 2026.
Summer Ride Along registration closes 14 days prior to your intended ride date.
Distance Cycled: 85 Miles
Summer Ride Along registration closes 14 days prior to your intended ride date.
Distance Cycled: 65 Miles
Summer Ride Along registration closes 14 days prior to your intended ride date.
Distance Cycled: 125 Miles
Summer Ride Along registration closes 14 days prior to your intended ride date.
Distance Cycled: 100 Miles
Friendship Visit: Mosaic of Garden City
Mosaic of Garden City has been a Friendship Visit partner since 2012!
Summer Ride Along registration closes 14 days prior to your intended ride date.
Distance Cycled: 55 Miles
Friendship Visit: Arrowhead West – Dodge City
Arrowhead West – Dodge City has been a Friendship Visit partner since 2008!
Summer Ride Along registration closes 14 days prior to your intended ride date.
Distance Cycled: 85 Miles
Summer Ride Along registration closes 14 days prior to your intended ride date.
Distance Cycled: 90 Miles
Friendship Visit: Rainbows United
Rainbows United has been a Friendship Visit partner since 2003!
Summer Ride Along registration closes 14 days prior to your intended ride date.
Distance Cycled: 95 Miles
Summer Ride Along registration closes 14 days prior to your intended ride date.
Distance Cycled: 65 Miles
Summer Ride Along registration closes 14 days prior to your intended ride date.
Distance Cycled: 70 Miles
Friendship Visit: Inclusion Connections & KC Revolution
Inclusion Connections has been a Friendship Visit Partner since 2014!
KC Revolution has been a Friendship Visit partner since 2022!
Summer Ride Along registration closes 14 days prior to your intended ride date.
Distance Cycled: 105 Miles
Summer Ride Along registration closes 14 days prior to your intended ride date.
Distance Cycled: 70 Miles
Friendship Visit: Thompson Center
Summer Ride Along registration closes 14 days prior to your intended ride date.
Distance Cycled: 105 Miles
Summer Ride Along registration closes 14 days prior to your intended ride date.
Distance Cycled: 55 Miles
Friendship Visit: LifeBridge & TASK
LifeBridge & TASK have been a Friendship Visit partner since 2011!
Summer Ride Along registration closes 14 days prior to your intended ride date.
Distance Cycled: 80 Miles
Friendship Visit: Fayco Enterprises
Fayco Enterprises has been a Friendship Visit partner since 2013!
Summer Ride Along registration closes 14 days prior to your intended ride date.
Distance Cycled: 115 Miles
Friendship Visit: Happiness Bag
Happiness Bag has been a Friendship Visit partner since 2007!
Summer Ride Along registration closes 14 days prior to your intended ride date.
Distance Cycled: 65 Miles
Friendship Visit: Stone Belt Arc
Stone Belt Arc has been a Friendship Visit partner since 2018!
Summer Ride Along registration closes 14 days prior to your intended ride date.
Distance Cycled: 80 Miles
Friendship Visit: Outside the Box & Noble Inc.
Outside the Box has been a Friendship Visit partner since 2010!
Noble Inc. has been a Friendship Visit partner since 2007!
Summer Ride Along registration closes 14 days prior to your intended ride date.
Distance Cycled: 125 Miles
Summer Ride Along registration closes 14 days prior to your intended ride date.
Distance Cycled: 95 Miles
Friendship Visit: Latitude Arts
Latitude Arts has been a Friendship Visit partner since 2008!
Summer Ride Along registration closes 14 days prior to your intended ride date.
Distance Cycled: 75 Miles
Friendship Visit: Horizon Village
Horizon Village has been a Friendship Visit partner since 2015!
Summer Ride Along registration closes 14 days prior to your intended ride date.
Distance Cycled: 80 Miles
Summer Ride Along registration closes 14 days prior to your intended ride date.
Distance Cycled: 60 Miles
Friendship Visit: Children’s Therapy Clinic
Children’s Therapy Clinic has been a Friendship Visit partner since 2006!
Summer Ride Along registration closes 14 days prior to your intended ride date.
Distance Cycled: 65 Miles
Summer Ride Along registration closes 14 days prior to your intended ride date.
Distance Cycled: 105 Miles
Friendship Visit: Camp Easter Seals PORT Health
Summer Ride Along registration closes 14 days prior to your intended ride date.
Distance Cycled: 40 Miles
Friendship Visit: Down Syndrome Association of Roanoke & Masterpiece Alliance
Down Syndrome Association of Roanoke has been a Friendship Visit partner since 2010!
Masterpiece Alliance has been a Friendship Visit partner since 2024!
Summer Ride Along registration closes 14 days prior to your intended ride date.
Distance Cycled: 55 Miles
Friendship Visit: Arc of Central Virginia
Arc of Central Virginia has been a Friendship Visit partner since 2002!
Summer Ride Along registration closes 14 days prior to your intended ride date.
Distance Cycled: 80 Miles
Summer Ride Along registration closes 14 days prior to your intended ride date.
Distance Cycled: 100 miles
Summer Ride Along registration closes 14 days prior to your intended ride date.
Distance Cycled: 50 Miles
Summer Ride Along registration closes 14 days prior to your intended ride date.
Arrival Information
Join us as Journey of Hope arrives at the U.S. Capitol and we celebrate their accomplishments! The arrival weekend is the culmination of a life-changing summer. Upon building hope for many individuals across the country, one cannot help but get caught up in the emotion surrounding such a special day.
Read on for additional information.
Arrival: Saturday, August 8, 2026, in Washington, D.C.
This year’s Journey of Hope Arrival weekend in Washington, D.C., is August 7-9, 2025, with the arrival at the United States Capitol taking place on Saturday, August 8.
Family and Friends Meet and Greet
Where: Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill
When: Saturday, August 8
Time: 8:30-10 a.m.
This is a time for family and friends to come together ahead of the Arrival. Coffee and light breakfast items (i.e., donuts or similar) will be available. The Ability Experience staff will also be there to answer any questions you may have during this time. The group will depart for the Capitol together at 10 a.m.
This is included as part of your Arrival registration.
Journey of Hope Arrival
Where: West front lawn of the United States Capitol building
When: Saturday, August 8
Time: The teams will arrive promptly at 11 a.m., but the time is subject to change based on weather conditions.
IMPORTANT: Friends and family must arrive at the Capitol building by 10:30 a.m. It will most likely be very warm, so dress comfortably and bring water and sunscreen! Absolutely no alcohol is allowed at the Arrival event on Capitol grounds. Please stay off any structures and respect the Capitol grounds.
No registration required
The Ability Experience Celebration
Where: Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill
When: Saturday, August 8
Time: Doors open at 4:30 p.m. with a program beginning at 5 p.m.
This event will highlight the teams who just finished their event while also celebrating The Ability Experience’s history. Displays will be set up around the room to showcase some of the special people, places and events in The Ability Experience’s history. The event will also be a meeting place for The Ability Experience family to reflect on their experiences. The Ability Experience has grown throughout the years and shaped many lives of people of all abilities, and we hope you will join us for the celebration!
This is included as part of your Arrival registration.
Heavy hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar will be available. Dress is business casual.
As the Journey of Hope routes are making their way across the country, team members may need that little extra push from you in the form of a care package to get them through some hard miles between now and Washington, D.C. Below, you will find the mail drops for the Journey of Hope teams. At the end of each address block, please remember to include “Attn: Journey of Hope (Team Member Name)” in order to ensure that the team member receives his package. Your mail/packages MUST arrive by the “Arrive by” dates listed below; there will be no forwarding of mail that has arrived after the deadlines. Please contact The Ability Experience office with any questions!
Dates and locations will be shared once confirmed.
2026 Journey of Hope TransAm Roster
| NAME | POSITION | CHAPTER (UNIVERSITY) |
|---|---|---|
| Oscar Baza-Cabrera | Cyclist | Epsilon Iota (UNC-Greensboro) |
| Chris Brown | Cyclist | Beta Epsilon (Missouri-Columbia) |
| Nick Colimon | Cyclist | Iota Iota (Cal Poly-Pomona) |
| Jackson David | Cyclist | Kappa Psi (Wake Forest) |
| Asher Early | Cyclist | Kappa Sigma (Colorado-Colorado Springs) |
| James Ferrara | Cyclist | Alpha Tau (Rensselaer Polytechnic) |
| Matias Gonzalez-Rappe | Crew | Theta Psi (RIT) |
| Kadin Hadzic | Cyclist | Delta Delta (Truman State) |
| Nabil Hamrang | Cyclist | Alpha Iota (Auburn) |
| Tavo Hernandez | Cyclist | Iota Iota (Cal Poly-Pomona) |
| Pete Kelley | Cyclist | Alpha Iota (Auburn) |
| Rex Kilpatrick | Cyclist | Theta Phi (Louisiana Tech) |
| Jack Leitzke | Cyclist | Theta Delta (Florida International) |
| Pedro Medrano | Cyclist | Zeta Beta (California-San Diego) |
| Kai Melville | Crew | Xi (Roanoke) |
| Tyler Murray | Crew | Iota Iota (Cal Poly-Pomona) |
| Tycho Narrod-Malcolm | Cyclist | Alpha Delta (Washington) |
| Carl Oscarson | Cyclist | Kappa Pi (Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo) |
| Nathan Pulling | Cyclist | Delta Delta (Truman State) |
| Will Reverman | Cyclist | Alpha Delta (Washington) |
| Dev Sewhuk | Cyclist | Theta Psi (RIT) |
| Oliver Stolarek | Project Manager | Theta Psi (RIT) |
| Aidan Tobin | Cyclist | Epsilon Iota (UNC-Greensboro) |
| Sebastian Wedemeyer | Cyclist | Epsilon Iota (UNC-Greensboro) |
| Nathan Won | Cyclist | Alpha Lambda (Mississippi) |
| Max Worrell | Crew | Eta Iota (Christopher Newport) |
