Days 1–3: From the Pacific Coast to the Desert — 242 Miles in the Bank

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.

Raising $1 million to help end childhood hunger is a big goal—but seeing people show up in person reminded me we’re not doing this alone.

We rolled south along the coast through Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, and Dana Point under clear skies and a little headwind. About ten riders joined the start, and as the miles passed, a few peeled off here and there. Bill Shopoff rode the entire first day with me, and Chris and Juliana Ziegel joined for about 30 miles—great company to begin the journey.

The ride shifted character once we turned inland. The cool coastal air gave way to warmer temperatures and rolling terrain as we headed toward Rancho Bernardo. Late in the day I ran into an unexpected challenge—every one of my electronics died at once. No phone, no watch, no radar.

Fortunately, a kind stranger named Dave at a Chevron station handed me a spare battery pack he wasn’t using. That simple act of generosity helped get me to the finish. Moments like that remind me how supportive people are when they hear about the mission.

We wrapped up the day at the Sonesta Suites Carmel Mountain, who were generous to the cause. Thank you to their team for the hospitality. Along the ride I also got a call from Invesco confirming a $2,500 donation. Not a bad way to end Day 1.

Day 2 was a different story.

The ride from Rancho Bernardo to Ocotillo Wells included a 5,000-foot climb over roughly 38 miles up toward Julian. I’ve done some serious climbing before—including Mt. Gibraltar above Santa Barbara—but this one felt tougher.

Bill rode with me for much of the day, and a good lunch stop in Julian helped fuel the second half.

The evening brought us to Ironwood Resort, home to the desert ATV and dirt bike crowd. We kind of crashed their Bingo night. The staff and the guests were equally friendly and generous.

Dinner was frozen pizzas with locals at the Ironwood Bar—and we finally cut into the birthday cake Karen had been carrying with us. Not your typical birthday celebration, but a memorable one.

Day 3

Deep into the desert.

The morning started fast with a gentle downhill stretch and some friendly pace-setting with Bill before the temperatures climbed into the 90s. A flat tire slowed Bill briefly, but he still made it into Brawley for lunch at Brownie’s Diner—a longtime family-run spot with exactly the kind of hearty food a cyclist needs.

From there Bill headed back to Orange County for the week, and I rode the final 24 miles solo toward Sandy Dunes before settling in for the night at the Best Western Plus in Brawley.

Along the way we also recorded our first media coverage—a 10-minute interview with the NBC San Diego affiliate. That’s an important early step in helping spread the word about why this ride matters.

Three days down. 242 miles completed.

There’s a long road ahead—but every mile is about helping ensure more kids across America know where their next meal is coming from.

Thanks for following along—and for supporting the mission.