Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity brothers cycling to Lake Havasu Jillian Danielson/RiverScene
“It’s going very well,” said Algernon Dean, public relations coordinator for Journey of Hope’s South Route. “The weather is hot here but the guys are loving it … overall the team is progressing very well. We’re excited to be in Arizona, this is the third state we’ve been in.”
The journey began June 16 when the cyclists left Long Beach, Calif., after three days of orientation. There are three routes, each made up of about 30 cyclists and support crew. All are fraternity members of Pi Kappa Phi.
Combined, they’ll cover 32 U.S. states and at least 12,000 miles. The North Route is 3,630 miles, the TransAmerica Route is 4,205 miles, and the South Route is 3,555 miles and includes Havasu.
On the way to Havasu, which is day 12 and 13 of the 62-day trek, they’ll have passed through other California cities including Ontario, Victorville, and Barstow. The route also includes Pahrump and Las Vegas, in Nevada; and Bullhead City, Ariz.
The excursion always carries mishaps such as one cyclist who keeps experiencing flat tires.
“We have one guy and he has been having flats like crazy,” Dean said. “He has had around eight flats but he’s getting through it.”
Dean reported cyclists and crew members along the South Route representing states including Florida, Arizona, New York, Washington State, Colorado, Tennessee, California, Texas, and Massachusetts. Thus far, the ride has been injury-free with nothing to prevent anyone from riding.