‘THE TRIP OF A LIFETIME’
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Bike Trip America: three Boy Scouts, three bikes and a summer spent making unforgettable memories
ike Trip America crew
leader Bryce Nurd-
ing and his two biking
buddies, Ryan Tallman
and Jonathan Williams,
have summer plans full
of high elevations, high
temperatures, high ad-
venture and high points.
It’s Ready. Set. Go! And go! And
go! From Oregon to New York: 59
days; 3,521 miles; and 12 states. The
three teenage Astoria Boy Scouts —
Troop 255 — will cycle their way
across the northern U.S., from the Pa-
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June 18 from Fort Stevens State Park,
they begin their biking odyssey. If all
goes according to plan, they will ar-
rive in New York City Aug. 15.
Their support team
consists of two adults and
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savvy former Vietnam in-
fantry medic now living
in Hawaii, will bike with
the boys. His passion for
cycling evolved as he be-
came dedicated to com-
muting without polluting.
He writes in his donsbike.
blogspot.com — which
he’ll update during the
cross-country ride — that
biking helps “burn carbo-
hydrates, not hydrocar-
bons.”
And master of all off-
road strategy is Gearhart
resident Pat Wollner.
Wollner, a retired nurse,
(an avid biker herself but not on this
trip) and her 4-year-old black lab,
Annie, will take care of everything
but actual on-bike riding and on-road
bike maintenance — or so she says.
Think sleeping, eating, acquiring ferry
tickets, providing for the daily whats
where, and that’s just for starters. Her
duties also include the piloting of a su-
per-organized, fully packed Suburban
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passengers and one dog, and their gear
if needed. Want to see a self-contained
kitchen in a bag? Ask Wollner.
Nurding, the 16-year-old crew
chief, has spent months detailing
the trip, and it shows. A super-sized
three-ring notebook is packed with
his equipment lists, contacts, route
maps, lodgings, locales, mileage and
more. The trip is partially sponsored
by local and non-local organizations.
American Legions across the country
(with particular support from Asto-
ria’s Legion Post 12), will host the cy-
clists in several locations, providing or
arranging for meals, lodging and hot
showers. The Astoria Co-op Grocery,
AAA, Subway, Fultano’s Pizza, Gear-
hart’s By the Way Gifts, Warrenton
Costco and private contributions are
all part of the ride with more lending
support as the boys’ departure grows
close.
Experiencing a lifetime impact,
the boys are also riding for a specif-
ic cause. Every mile the crew covers
is honoring and raising
awareness and funds for
Operation Comfort War-
riors. A 100 percent non-
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tive costs, “It is different
from other charities in a
lot of ways because all
the money that is donated
actually goes to the vet-
erans,” said Nurding in
the June 2015 American
Legion Magazine, which
featured an article about
Bike Trip America.
Operation
Comfort
Warriors provides com-
fort items to injured,
wounded or ill veterans
not usually supplied by
the government. Child
said he was especially interested in
joining the Bike Trip America crew
when he became aware of its support
of the wounded warriors for whom he
feels great appreciation.
As the June 18 departure draws
closer: Medical releases signed and
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lights working and in place? Check.
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Tents and canopies in place? Check.
They’re almost on the road, but
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dictates a good luck departure and
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mount up and begin their way across
Every mile
the crew
covers is
honoring
and raising
awareness
and funds
for Operation
Comfort
Warriors.
4 | June 18, 2015 | coastweekend.com
Photo by Joshua Bessex
From left: Don Child, Annie (the dog), Jonathan Williams, Bryce Nurding, and Ryan Tallman stand outside of the American Legion Post 12 in Astoria. Child will bike
across the country with the three Boy Scouts to raise awareness and money for Operation Comfort Warrior.
For more information on Bike Trip
America, visit www.biketripa-
merica.com, and check out Don
Child’s blog about the trip at
http://donsbike.blogspot.com
the northern United States aiming for
front tires dipped into the Atlantic.
As they travel along their route,
they will celebrate August birthdays;
they will see state and national parks;
take in monuments; visit museums;
and meet and greet people from across
the country.
“People are doing a lot for us. We
are representing every biker on the
road. This is the trip of a lifetime,”
said Nurding.
Watch for occasional Bike Trip
America highlights and updates in
Coast Weekend’s Grab Bag back page
as the group makes its way across the
country. If we can’t be there, we can
share in their adventure.
Photo by Joshua Bessex
From front: Bryce Nurding, Don Childs, Jonathan Williams, and Ryan Tallman bike along the Warrenton
Waterfront Trail near Caruthers Park, training for their cross-country summer ride.
Coastal Life
Story by MARILYN GILBAUGH