Midlife Adventures: Face Of America-Biking from Pentagon to Gettysburg

So the big weekend was finally here for the FACE of America ride! Tom and the other cyclists left the Pentagon at 7:30 AM on Saturday and headed for Frederick, MD. This wasn't a regular bike race where you're trying to make good time. In fact, they stopped about every 10 miles for a break. As you'll see from some of the photos, these weren't necessarily disabled vets who have become trained athletes; rather many of them were vets who wouldn't normally get the opportunity to participate in an event like this because of physical issues they may have. But every place they stopped, there were community members out to welcome them and to feed them. Tom said this is probably the only 110 mile bike ride where they'll all gain weight!

Tom, Luke, Lisa (she's the colonel!) and her husband Michael

There was a pace car that kept everyone at a fairly easy speed because the whole point of this ride was that they ride together. There were teams representing each of the military services plus a ton of support people. They each took turns helping their disabled brothers and sisters during the ride.

Team Coast Guard

It was nice that because of the slower pace they could actually enjoy the gorgeous scenery. Rolling hills, covered bridges, and then... More Food! Yep, the communities came out with baked goods, plus they had a Subway break along the way!

They arrived in Frederick around 3:30. Tom rode his bike over to the hotel where I was waiting and we did a quick change before heading into historic downtown (more on that later!) to meet the other 4 riders, plus Luke's wife Andrea for dinner.

The next morning they were up early and out of Frederick by 7:30 again and on their way to Pennsylvania. More rolling hills but this time they stopped every 20 miles so not quite so much food and socializing. They headed into Gettysburg around 2 PM.

The drive was beautiful and as I came around a bend, there was that huge flag that would welcome the cyclists to a gentleman's farm who donates it for this event every year. Again, the community was out, local ROTC, scouts directing traffic and just an awesome feeling of love and support.

Once the riders started coming through, the ROTC was at attention and the waving flags & hoots and hollers began! The cyclists had stopped a mile up the rode and got into their teams, 5 cyclists across, Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine, and Coast Guard and came in as teams. It was pretty cool!