“Travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living.”
Miriam Beard, Historian
For two San Diego cyclists, the idea of living is a charitable cause on wheels.
And “Give a Bike” has Adam and Christy Coppola traversing the country. The couple’s adventure-fueled, philanthropic ride takes them through 50 states, and Christy said the trip allowed them to combine their love of traveling, photography and writing.
“We wanted to make a trip that kind of embodied it all, and this was it,” she said.
The trip began in January 2009 in San Diego, and the couple arrived in Albuquerque on Sunday, often traveling 20-80 miles a day. To promote their cause, the Coppolas arranged ride-alongs with Bike Cult, an Albuquerque cycling enthusiasts’ organization.
It starts today at 4 p.m. at the Duck Pond and ends at 7 p.m. at Marble Brewery. There will be a donation bucket, raffle and silent auction with proceeds benefiting Achilles International and World Bicycle Relief. Achilles International helps the disabled participate in mainstream sports, and World Bicycle sends durable, easy-to-maintain bicycles to developing countries.
Not only do the Coppolas have companies pedaling to promote their cause, Christy said, the couple attracted online followers. She said their efforts sparked curiosity and opened a portal of opportunities to meet and inform people between destinations.
“When you’re out riding on a bike, it’s an invitation for people to come up and talk to you,” she said. “When we’ve got all this stuff on our bike, you know people know we’re traveling far.
There are definitely chances and opportunities for us to meet more people and spread awareness, whether it is a person on the street or a big group of people.”
Adam said the experience yielded people willing to help, more so than he expected.
“Before we took the trip people were like, ‘Oh, you’ve got to be careful out there. There are a lot of crazy people out there,’” he said. “So far, we have seen nothing but generosity, kindness, and people lending a helping hand whenever we need it.”
