Help Terry Taylor Bike 4228 Miles
Donation protected
My Name is Matt Hartman and I'm the president of the Central Carolina Cycling Club. I am starting this campaign to bring in donations to help 78 year old Terry Taylor on his journey to recreate his 1976 cross country bicycle journey on the 4228 mile TransAmerican trail.
(TL;DR Scroll to "Why The Money Is Needed" below)
Background
Terry has been an inspiration to all of us in the bike community. He has been riding a bicycle since he received his first bike in 1944, when he was 6, and has not stopped riding since. Terry marches to the beat of his own drum. He's lived his life on his own terms bouncing from career to career, but he has been a cyclist first and foremost. It has dominated his time, finances, and family life. His cycling life has been a blessing to his health and mental well-being, and it has been his constant outlet when things went south. He has had 3 wives, an estranged daughter, sons who live in GA and FL, a string of jobs and no viable retirement. On the flip side, for all of the health benefits that he gains through cycling, he has also had some serious injuries. He broke his neck when he hit a dog while bike racing, cars have hit him, and his most recent accident resulted in a broken femur, brain bruising and a broken collarbone. Despite all of this, he always recovers, rehabilitates, and still rides almost every day. He competes in the NC State Games and often wins. He has more replacement parts in him than a 1972 VW Beetle. Last year, he had a full knee replacement, and after less than 6 weeks of recovery, he got on that bike, made his legs turn the pedals and qualified for the 2015 games.
Though he has spent a lifetime cycling on family rides and racing, one of Terry’s biggest cycling accomplishments was his ride across America in 1976. That year, while living in Northern CA, Terry saw a flyer at a bike shop about the upcoming Bikecentennial. He took it home and worked on convincing his second wife to join him. It was the first time an organized ride across America had been created. 4,100 people joined in the ride and just over 2,000 of them completed the route from Oregon to Virginia, including Terry and Lonnie. Their marriage didn’t survive the ride, and they divorced soon after.
Terry is a modest individual, and makes due with what he has. He knows that he chose the life he has and doesn't blame anyone but himself for what he hasn't. He is the consummate story teller, epic conversationalist, and is always entertaining to be around. He doesn't ask for much and has always just rolls with the circumstances placed before him. He's always the first to volunteer to help SAG rides, or offer to help someone out.
He is currently living on an almost non-existent fixed income, supplemented with a part time job driving a bus for the senior citizens in Rowan county, which he will most likely lose because of the extensive time off to make this trip. To finance the trip, he sold off his well used truck to buy the bike and equipment he needs.
As many of you have seen through Kickstarter, Terry's nephew Peter has been trying to raise funding to film a documentary of his cross country trip, but this campaign never reached it's goal, so none of the pledged money can be distributed. That never mattered to Terry. It wasn't the point of his trip, and he is doing it regardless.
Why The Money Is Needed
Terry plans to camp across the country. Not in campgrounds, because he can't afford it, but anywhere he can find a dry flat piece of ground. It will take an estimated 10 weeks to complete the journey if all goes well. A lot can happen to a person in 10 weeks on the open road.
I would like to bring in donations to help make this trip a little more comfortable. Money for decent food, equipment contigencies, emergencies and the opportunity to stay at a real campground or hotel with a real bed once in a while. At 78 years, and so many miles on his body, he is going to need it at some point.
To be clear, the money raised in this campaign will go directly to Terry to help him complete this journey, and is not part of the previous documentary campaign.
Many of us dream of riding the open road across the US. Lets help Terry out and live vicariously through him on this journey.
(TL;DR Scroll to "Why The Money Is Needed" below)
Background
Terry has been an inspiration to all of us in the bike community. He has been riding a bicycle since he received his first bike in 1944, when he was 6, and has not stopped riding since. Terry marches to the beat of his own drum. He's lived his life on his own terms bouncing from career to career, but he has been a cyclist first and foremost. It has dominated his time, finances, and family life. His cycling life has been a blessing to his health and mental well-being, and it has been his constant outlet when things went south. He has had 3 wives, an estranged daughter, sons who live in GA and FL, a string of jobs and no viable retirement. On the flip side, for all of the health benefits that he gains through cycling, he has also had some serious injuries. He broke his neck when he hit a dog while bike racing, cars have hit him, and his most recent accident resulted in a broken femur, brain bruising and a broken collarbone. Despite all of this, he always recovers, rehabilitates, and still rides almost every day. He competes in the NC State Games and often wins. He has more replacement parts in him than a 1972 VW Beetle. Last year, he had a full knee replacement, and after less than 6 weeks of recovery, he got on that bike, made his legs turn the pedals and qualified for the 2015 games.
Though he has spent a lifetime cycling on family rides and racing, one of Terry’s biggest cycling accomplishments was his ride across America in 1976. That year, while living in Northern CA, Terry saw a flyer at a bike shop about the upcoming Bikecentennial. He took it home and worked on convincing his second wife to join him. It was the first time an organized ride across America had been created. 4,100 people joined in the ride and just over 2,000 of them completed the route from Oregon to Virginia, including Terry and Lonnie. Their marriage didn’t survive the ride, and they divorced soon after.
Terry is a modest individual, and makes due with what he has. He knows that he chose the life he has and doesn't blame anyone but himself for what he hasn't. He is the consummate story teller, epic conversationalist, and is always entertaining to be around. He doesn't ask for much and has always just rolls with the circumstances placed before him. He's always the first to volunteer to help SAG rides, or offer to help someone out.
He is currently living on an almost non-existent fixed income, supplemented with a part time job driving a bus for the senior citizens in Rowan county, which he will most likely lose because of the extensive time off to make this trip. To finance the trip, he sold off his well used truck to buy the bike and equipment he needs.
As many of you have seen through Kickstarter, Terry's nephew Peter has been trying to raise funding to film a documentary of his cross country trip, but this campaign never reached it's goal, so none of the pledged money can be distributed. That never mattered to Terry. It wasn't the point of his trip, and he is doing it regardless.
Why The Money Is Needed
Terry plans to camp across the country. Not in campgrounds, because he can't afford it, but anywhere he can find a dry flat piece of ground. It will take an estimated 10 weeks to complete the journey if all goes well. A lot can happen to a person in 10 weeks on the open road.
I would like to bring in donations to help make this trip a little more comfortable. Money for decent food, equipment contigencies, emergencies and the opportunity to stay at a real campground or hotel with a real bed once in a while. At 78 years, and so many miles on his body, he is going to need it at some point.
To be clear, the money raised in this campaign will go directly to Terry to help him complete this journey, and is not part of the previous documentary campaign.
Many of us dream of riding the open road across the US. Lets help Terry out and live vicariously through him on this journey.
Organizer and beneficiary
Matt Hartman
Organizer
Concord, NC
Terry Taylor
Beneficiary