May 20th, from Oklahoma:
Len has now ridden across California, Arizona, New Mexico, and the Texas panhandle. He shares that Oklahoma has been surprisingly difficult and says, “It’s NOT flat. We did over 2,500ft of climbing yesterday. I was not expecting so many hills and there have been strong headwinds!” He crosses into a new state, Missouri, this week. The weather has been difficult with plenty of thunderstorms, and even tornadoes at times. They cut the ride short at only 20 miles today, because the weather was getting too dangerous.
On the upside, cutting the ride short allowed the riders to visit the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum, site of the Oklahoma City Bombing in 1995 that killed 168 people. Len described the visit as “eye-opening” and “moving.” He felt really inspired and thought the memorial really honored the victims. And the riders even got a shout-out from the Museum on Twitter!
In any ride as long as this one (2,499 miles), there are bound to be a few mishaps and technical difficulties. Luckily, the WOW riders have only had a few minor issues. Flat tires are to be expected, but the only major issue was a broken hanger bracket from a derailleur that required a new part. One rider also had trouble during a day of cold weather, which killed the battery on his electric shifter. He had to ride an entire day on one gear because of it… Ouch! Luckily, it started working again the next day when the weather warmed up. Otherwise, it’s been smooth sailing, and we continue to keep our fingers crossed for healthy riders and happy bikes!
Len has raised over $12,000 during his ride so far. WAR on Wheels raises money to support Wishes for cancer patients, Awareness of pediatric cancer, and Research to help find a cure for cancer. Please check out the WAR on Wheels and consider helping Len reach his fundraising goal! The end of his ride is quickly approaching, with the goal to reach Chicago on June 2nd.
Keep up the great work Len! #kickaxis
