More than two hundred cyclists will be crowding the streets of Santa Cruz early this morning as they start the next leg of their ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles. Take a closer look now. Some of them are missing an arm or a leg. Some are riding special bikes, pedaled by hand, rather than by foot.
More than two hundred cyclists will be crowding the streets of Santa Cruz early this morning as they start the next leg of their ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles. Take a closer look now. Some of them are missing an arm or a leg. Some are riding special bikes, pedaled by hand, rather than by foot. They are all wounded vets, and the event, called “Race 2 Recovery,” is intended to raise money to support rehabilitation for the country’s injured warriors.
They arrived in Santa Cruz yesterday, and will be heading south to Carmel this morning. For many the goal is to raise awareness of the challenges they face now that they’ve sacrificed their bodies and well-being for the country. Speaking of the people who will see them along the way, William Clark, a 30-year Army veteran, said, “We want them to think about the sacrifices these soldiers have made and the sacrifices their families have made.”
But Clark readily admits that the race is for the soldiers too: “It’s an opportunity for soldiers to test themselves again. For some of them it’s emotional therapy.” This was echoed by John Wordin Executive Director of Race to Recovery: “We want to get these veterans to believe that they can achieve more than they think.” Just watching them ride, it’s inspiring to think of how much they can achieve.
http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/localnews/ci_16246892
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