150 Roadside Memorial Solar Lights- SC to FL

Hello all! My name is Brad. I live in Myrtle Beach, SC, with my wife and three kids. I work in marketing and enjoy taking long-distance bicycle rides when possible.

A few years ago, I took my first "big" ride from Myrtle Beach to Key West... approximately 1000 miles on my bicycle. Among other things that I noticed along my ride was how many roadside memorials there are. As I started paying attention to it, I couldn't believe how many I saw.

Last year I was riding from San Francisco to San Diego. As I was coming through the Salinas Valley on 101, I came across a grieving family putting up a roadside memorial for their mother/daughter who had recently passed away in a car accident. It was a windy day, and their flowers were blowing down the highway. I chased it down for them and briefly spoke to one of the family members. The raw pain they were feeling was something that I had not seen with my own eyes very many times in my life. That experience has stuck with me ever since.

So here's my plan. In April, I'm going to ride back down to Key West. I want to put a solar light on every memorial that I pass... or the first 150, whichever happens first. These lights will be similar to the ones that are in the pictures. I've priced them out and to get a good quality light that will last in almost any weather will cost $20.00 each. I'm going to load these into a trailer that will be pulled behind me throughout my journey. The trailer can hold 50 at a time, so I will resupply twice on my way down by having two shipments waiting for me at a UPS store... One near Jacksonville and one near Vero Beach.

These rides tend to be expensive from taking time away from work, a few motels when I need a shower and my back can't handle another night in the tent, food, etc... All contributions will go towards the cost of the lights. I have a bike and all the gear that I could ever need.

Why am I doing this? I enjoy my rides and I'd like them to have some meaning. I've noticed the litter EVERYWHERE, but it's impossible to stop and pick it all up. I've noticed the stray dogs, but I can't take them all for the ride. When a family member is riding by at 10 pm and sees the roadside memorial for their loved one visible from the street, they'll feel better for just a moment... it's the least I can do.

I will vlog this process onto my FB page for anyone interested in following along.

(If you choose to donate, feel free to message me and let me know if you would like a message from you, left on the solar light. I will print a label with a short message and place it down the piece that connects to the ground. Once it's placed, I'll send you a photo of where I put it)