Guest Post: Cross country bicycle trip to finish in San Diego

On July 19 a group of 22 college students will finish a cross-country bicycle trip in San Diego. The ride is part of the national non-profit Bike & Build which seeks to address the affordable housing crisis in America. Bike & Build has 8 routes. The one that ends in San Diego started on May 11th in Nags Head, NC.

Bike and Build Team reach San Diego. Photo source: Bike and Build

Since taking off from Nags Head the group has been biking an average of 70 miles a day and building houses with local housing non-profits, like Habitat for Humanity and Rebuilding Together.

Out of an 80 day trip there are 3 days off and about 9 build days. Riders are required to raise $4,000, volunteer on a Habitat build site, and log in 500 training miles before the start of the trip.

Since its first routes left in 2003 Bike & Build has donated more the 3.3 million to the affordable housing cause, built for more than 100,000 hours, pedaled over 5 million miles, and engaged more than 1,500 young adults in spreading the word about the affordable housing crisis in America.

Bike and Builders resting. Photo: Timur Ender

The team will be leaving from El Cajon high school on July 19 and finishing at La Jolla Beach around 4pm.

If interested in participating as a leader or rider on this route, or any route, next year be sure to visit their website for more information or contact Timur Ender at timurender1(at)gmail.com.

Bike and Builders head west. Photo: Timur Ender

Fun fact: 1 of the 4 leaders of this route was a rider on a cross-country route led by Timur Ender last summer.