Day 29 turned into the day of firsts. We knew the heat was coming. Triple digits were in the forecast, and the Oklahoma winds were expected to start howling later in the day, so we made a strategic decision: get out early and push before Mother Nature started throwing punches. We rolled by 7:45 under overcast skies and manageable wind, and it proved to be the right call.

Leaving Santa Fe, we thought Day 22 would be another manageable 60-mile day. Of course, “manageable” has become a pretty flexible word out here. Getting out of Santa Fe was more confusing than expected, with part of the route on a trail and the support vehicle needing to navigate surface streets. After a few calls and some backtracking, we reconnected just outside town and got rolling.

Days 16–21: Tailwinds, Headwinds, Harleys, and the Road to Santa Fe

Before I move on from the last post, I should mention one thing I forgot.

Somewhere out on the road between Arizona and New Mexico, I finally got tired of listening to the same music over and over again and started catching up on the last few episodes of the Walker Webcast hosted by my boss, Willie Walker. And yes, maybe this sounds like a little shameless sucking up, but honestly, the podcasts are informative, engaging, and entertaining all at the same time. I had worried that listening to podcasts while riding might distract me, but on long stretches of smoother road they actually help pass the time and keep the mind working. So there’s my unsolicited promotion for the Walker Webcast.

Day 12 in Flagstaff was a welcome rest day, and we made the most of it.

We slept in (a luxury on this trip), then headed to Miss Zip’s Diner for what can only be described as a serious breakfast. I finally got something I’d missed on my birthday back on April 17 — corned beef hash with two eggs over easy. Outstanding. Scott ordered what felt like half the menu. Karen kept things a little more sensible. A great start to the day.

Days 9–11: Climbing Higher—Literally and Figuratively

By the end of Day 11, we had rolled 581 miles into the journey—and over the last three days alone, we added 11,590 feet of climbing as we made our way from Wickenburg to Flagstaff. For me that’s a lot of uphill, even on fresh legs. 

Four more riding days are now in the books as the No Kid Hungry Ride continues east—and with each mile the support, stories, and reminders of why this ride matters keep growing.

Day 1, April 17 marked Day 1 of the No Kid Hungry Ride—and my 73rd birthday.

It was hard to imagine a better way to begin a coast-to-coast journey than rolling out from Lookout Point in Corona del Mar with 35–40 friends, family members, sponsors, and supporters gathered to send us off. Their presence meant a lot.

In April, I’ll roll out from the Pacific Ocean and begin a cross-country journey — 3,400 miles from coast to coast — to help provide 10 million meals* for kids in need through No Kid Hungry.