Though he's never professionally cycled before, Luke Maslow, a 21-year-old recent college graduate of Reisterstown, will be strapping on his helmet, boarding his new road bike and riding nearly 4,000 miles from California to Washington D.C. as part of Push America's Journey of Hope program.
Luke, who graduated from Coastal Carolina University last week, will join more than 70 other members of the Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity on the cross-country ride, raising money for individuals with disabilities. There are three groups of riders, traveling three different routes from the West to East Coast. Maslow's route begins on June 10 and will take 64 days to complete, beginning in Long Beach, California and concluding in front of the Capitol Building in Washington D.C.
Luke said the ride had been something he has been interested in since he was a college freshman.
"I figured it would be a great way to help people, as well as be a challenge to myself," Luke said. "It's something you don't do every day."
Along the ride, Luke and his fellow riders will be stopping at organizations that aid people with disabilities for "friendship visits." Adam Phillips, director of marketing at Push America, said the friendship visits will consist of spending an evening with an organization as they travel to water parks, cook outs, sports games and other activities. The riders will also present each organization with a grant, consisting of money raised by the riders before the trip. Along the southern route taken by Luke, there will be 46 friendship visits throughout the 64-day ride.
Phillips said they raised more than $600,000 for the organizations visited by the cyclists last year.
"The idea is to really start a relationship between our participants and the participants in those organizations," Phillips said. "We want our people to take these experiences back to their communities and learn about the abilities of those with disabilities."
In order to participate, each rider must raise a minimum of $5,500. So far, Luke has raised $4,283. He said he's not worried about reaching his fundraising goal.
"It's been great to see how many people have been coming out for me," Luke said.
Luke has been training for the trip, which will consist of biking between 70 and 80 miles every day, since September. He began with strength training, because at the time of registering for the ride, he didn't own a bicycle. His parents gave him one for Christmas, when his cycling training began.
"Training has been pretty rigorous," Luke said. "I have to go to the gym constantly to try and be able to reach 70 miles in one sitting. I have to be really aware of what I'm eating and how I'm working out."
Luke's mother, Mary Maslow, said she was surprised when Luke told her he was planning on participating in the trip, but quickly adjusted to the idea.
"He has always been one to jump into helping others with both feet first," Mary said. "He has a very philanthropic attitude of life."
After riding each day, the riders will mostly be staying in sleeping bags on the floors of high school gymnasiums. Luke said his uncle, the cyclist of the family, has been giving him tips on how to stay limber.
"Of course, I'm nervous. On a trek like this, anyone would be nervous," Luke said. "I've never done anything like this before, but I have no doubt in my mind that I can do it."
Mary said though she worries about him on the road, she has been very supportive of his goal.
"It's definitely an experience that's been wrenching at my heart strings," Mary said. "He's been very good at making good decisions all his life, so I trust him to be safe."
