When Aaron Neufeld saw the New York skyline, he got misty-eyed. It was the end of a seven-week bike ride that took him and a handful of other riders from Los Angeles to the Big Apple. Joined by local riders for days and weeks at a time, they rode through rain, up hills, and in the blistering heat – all in the name of bringing awareness to Friendship Circle, a Chabad-Lubavitch run network of programs that cater to children with special needs and their families.
“It was a great experience,” he said of journey, which he embarked on not knowing anyone, and left with close friends.
During their travels, they stayed at hostels and in motels, and on weekends were hosted by appreciative communities across the country.
“That was something we looked forward to each week,” he said.
The oldest rider, from Jerusalem, was 66, and a teen joined their group in New Jersey. Neufeld said he was impressed by the diversity of riders and their dedication to the ride.
They faced the challenges of the open road together, he said, and over the trip became not only stronger riders but an incredibly tight-knit group.
“It was always nice to overcome challenges,” he said. “People at first, they’re wowed by the fact that we’re doing a cross-country trip; then when they find out about our cause, they’re actually inspired. Throughout the country we met so many different people, we’d see how passionate they are and how it’s really important to so many families, and I think we became more sensitive to the topic, and it means more to us now, too.”
Rabbi Zalman Grossbaum, executive director of the Friendship Circle program in Livingston, N.J. – one of the locations that hosted the passing riders – said he was impressed by the their commitment and determination.
“It was a very impressive undertaking,” he said, crediting the riders with breaking down barriers and building understanding and inclusiveness. “We have to get the word out.”
Shlomie Rabin worked as the on-site manager for two of the seven weeks the bikers were on the road. There were extraordinary logistics to be handled, he said, explaining how he coordinated a core group of cyclists, their food, lodging and biking needs, as well as those of the riders who joined for various legs. Every day they rode eight or nine hours, then Rabin helped make sure everything was ready for their evening stop.
The group went through bulk boxes of granola bars and gallons upon gallons of water.
“And I can’t tell you how many bottles of sunscreen,” said Rabin.
The riders stopped every 20 miles for water, pretzels, dried fruit and granola bars. Four crew members, in a van and a truck, came along. They had kosher picnic lunches and home cooked dinners, dining on salmon one night, macaroni and cheese on another.
“No matter what happened, they were cycling out there and busting their chops in the heat, knowing they were doing it for something greater than themselves,” commented Rabin.
The trip and one of the trip participant’s blogs about the experience moved 17-year-old Zion Giahn to take part in a teen ride that ended last week in Washington, D.C. He liked reading about the Friendship Circle ride, what its participants were up to, the connections they were making and the reason behind the ride, he said.
He explained that he enjoyed going into all the Friendship Circle locations and the various Chabad Houses on the way down to the nation’s capital.
“I was inspired by them,” he said of the cross-country riders, “and I just wanted to be part of Bike 4 Friendship.”
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