In January 2025, I'll be cycling across South America from Pacific coast to Atlantic over the Andes. We'll leave from just north of Valparaiso, Chile on January 21st and ride over the Andes finishing in the Argentinian heat just south of Buenos Aires on January 30th. That will be ten days of riding, 1,057 miles (1,701km) and 33,238 feet of climbing (10,128m) with temperatures expected to go as high as 110F (43C) once we've gone over altitudes of 12,000+ feet (3,658m). Just before my 56th birthday, this will be the hardest physical challenge I've ever taken on. I'm not a natural athlete. I started taking road biking seriously ten years ago at the age of 45 on a borrowed bike after a major knee operation and managed to do 9 miles, nearly passing out the following week after riding hard for 25 miles. If I can do this, so can you!

However hard this will be, it still won't even come close to how hard it must be to be forced to leave your home, family and friends and travel into an uncertain future as a refugee. Those of us who have lived overseas for long periods of time by choice know how hard it is even to do that. It is impossible to imagine what it is like when it is not a choice, and even more so when it can sometimes be in the face of animosity and prejudice. Inspired by positive stories of refugees relocated to our town of Corvallis, Oregon, I am doing this ride for Corvallis for Refugees. CfR is a non-profit which aims to bring people and resources together to empower refugees to thrive seeing all refugees in Corvallis as valued, contributing members of our community: see the Corvallis for Refugees website for more information. By supporting this non-profit, you can make a direct impact on people's lives as they are helped into homes, employment and education.

I am covering the expenses of the ride 100%. That means 100% of your donations will be transferred directly to Corvallis for Refugees (via the parent organization Salem for Refugees) minus gofundme.com fees of 2.9% + 30c. Every dollar makes a difference whether you can spare $1, $10, or $100. Thank you for your donations.