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07-18-07, 11:35 PM
this is from our local newspaper.
Four bicyclists visit Olney on way across country
By Ashley Kuenstler
Published: Friday, July 13, 2007 2:35 PM CDT
E-mail this story | Print this page
Most people choose to travel across the country by airplane or car, but four young men chose to do things a little differently.
Maksim Kalashnikov, Troy Richey, John Lattin and Devin Mattson left New York on June 24 on cross-country bicycles for a 50-day excursion across the country, bound for San Francisco to raise awareness and funds for the Lance Armstrong Foundation.
On the ninth day of their trek, they made a stop in Olney.
The trip, which the men have named, “Pedal Against Cancer Coast to Coast,” will take them an estimated 3,500 miles, across three mountain ranges and through a 500-mile stretch of desert.
All four men are avid outdoorsmen and spend most of their time outside, providing ample experience for their trip. Kalashnikov and Mattson recently returned from climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, the tallest peak in Africa.
Second-degree burns, falling off their bicycles and lack of showers have topped the list of hardships so far.
“A lot of people honk at us, scare us, and make us fall off,” Kalashnikov said.
The men are paying for the trip with money they have saved, asking residents, churches and schools for places to sleep. More often than not, they are forced to camp outside. In New Jersey, the men took much-needed showers and washed their laundry in a fountain on the Princeton campus, later sleeping in the yard nearby.
Aside from the anticipated hardships, the men are grateful for the hospitality they have received along the way, including from Matt Hahn, of Olney.
Hahn encountered the men as they were coming out of the Arcadia last weekend. He learned their story, as well as their cause, when he became intrigued at the sight of their bikes. He offered them beds, hot showers, a few good meals, Internet access and a chance to relax.
They had the opportunity to visit the Richland County Fair, saying the livestock and produce were their favorite parts.
“You definitely have a great town here,” Kalashnikov said.
The men held a charity auction for their cause before they began their trip, raising approximately $7,000. They also sent emails to family and friends for donations. By the end of the trip, they hope to have raised $25,000.
To get involved, or to learn more about the men and their cause, visit their website at www.bikecoasttocoast.org. Options are given to make a donation, join their team, volunteer or be a sponsor.
link probably won't work, but here it is just in case-- to the same story (http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:4mHQZV9hePMJ:www.olneydailymail.com/news/news02.txt+Kalashnikov+site:www.olneydailymail.com&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us&client=firefox-a)
Four bicyclists visit Olney on way across country
By Ashley Kuenstler
Published: Friday, July 13, 2007 2:35 PM CDT
E-mail this story | Print this page
Most people choose to travel across the country by airplane or car, but four young men chose to do things a little differently.
Maksim Kalashnikov, Troy Richey, John Lattin and Devin Mattson left New York on June 24 on cross-country bicycles for a 50-day excursion across the country, bound for San Francisco to raise awareness and funds for the Lance Armstrong Foundation.
On the ninth day of their trek, they made a stop in Olney.
The trip, which the men have named, “Pedal Against Cancer Coast to Coast,” will take them an estimated 3,500 miles, across three mountain ranges and through a 500-mile stretch of desert.
All four men are avid outdoorsmen and spend most of their time outside, providing ample experience for their trip. Kalashnikov and Mattson recently returned from climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, the tallest peak in Africa.
Second-degree burns, falling off their bicycles and lack of showers have topped the list of hardships so far.
“A lot of people honk at us, scare us, and make us fall off,” Kalashnikov said.
The men are paying for the trip with money they have saved, asking residents, churches and schools for places to sleep. More often than not, they are forced to camp outside. In New Jersey, the men took much-needed showers and washed their laundry in a fountain on the Princeton campus, later sleeping in the yard nearby.
Aside from the anticipated hardships, the men are grateful for the hospitality they have received along the way, including from Matt Hahn, of Olney.
Hahn encountered the men as they were coming out of the Arcadia last weekend. He learned their story, as well as their cause, when he became intrigued at the sight of their bikes. He offered them beds, hot showers, a few good meals, Internet access and a chance to relax.
They had the opportunity to visit the Richland County Fair, saying the livestock and produce were their favorite parts.
“You definitely have a great town here,” Kalashnikov said.
The men held a charity auction for their cause before they began their trip, raising approximately $7,000. They also sent emails to family and friends for donations. By the end of the trip, they hope to have raised $25,000.
To get involved, or to learn more about the men and their cause, visit their website at www.bikecoasttocoast.org. Options are given to make a donation, join their team, volunteer or be a sponsor.
link probably won't work, but here it is just in case-- to the same story (http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:4mHQZV9hePMJ:www.olneydailymail.com/news/news02.txt+Kalashnikov+site:www.olneydailymail.com&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us&client=firefox-a)