Riding America for Feeding America

Hi! We are "The Metal Hip Club" and we're attempting to ride across America this summer! The crew consists of Terry, Janet, and Ross. Biking across the county has been a long-time goal of ours and we are excited to have the opportunity to attempt this journey together. We feel incredibly lucky to have the resources and ability to take a trip like this, and we want to give something back along the way. That's why we are raising money for Feeding America, an organization that works to connect people with food and advocates for policies that help end hunger. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, 42 million people may face hunger in the U.S. — including more than 13 million children — so Feeding America's work is more important than ever. We will be donating 10 cents for every mile we ride, with the end goal of raising a dollar per mile for a total of $4387. All of the money raised will go straight to Feeding America.

About Us:

Terry and Janet live in Birch Bay, Washington and have been bike touring together for 35 years. They met working at IBM in Minnesota and raised three great kids.  Terry joined the Metal Hip Club after getting hit by a car a few years ago and has a rod in his femur connected with screws in his hip. Janet joined the Metal Hip Club with a total hip replacement last August. Terry finally joined Janet in retirement last year and they have been enjoying their RV and dominating the pickleball court.

Ross is Terry and Janet's oldest son and is an honorary member of the Metal Hip Club. He has no metal in his hips and hopes to keep it that way! Ross is taking a sabbatical from his job as a Software Engineer at a healthcare startup in Seattle and is looking forward to some time off work.

About the Ride:

We plan to start riding on May 31, 2021. Our trip will be self-contained with a mixture of camping and motels. We will mostly follow the Adventure Cycling Association's Northern Tier route, with a couple detours.

 

We will be starting from Birch Bay, WA, which is about 60 miles north of Anacortes, WA, the traditional starting point of the Northern Tier. We will follow the standard route up to Fargo, ND. After Fargo, we will stay north to visit family and friends in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan. After Michigan, we are hoping to cut across Canada (if the border is open) and re-join the Northern Tier in Niagara Falls. If the border remains closed, we will pick up the Northern Tier south of Detroit. The end of the road is Bar Harbor, ME, where we hope to arrive by early September.

About Feeding America:

Feeding America is the nation's largest domestic hunger-relief organization with 200 food banks across the United States. With school closures, job disruptions and health risks due to the coronavirus, millions of Americans will turn to food banks for much-needed support. Every day, there are already millions of children and adults who do not get the meals they need. Feeding America works to get nourishing food - from farmers, manufacturers, and retailers - to our neighbors. Feeding America also identifies and advances policy solutions that help struggling families create a path to healthy, hunger-free lives.