Days 4–7: Sand, Crosswinds, Interstates — and Support in All the Right Places
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 4 began in the sand dunes outside Brawley with one of the more unusual riding experiences so far. A strong crosswind blew straight across the dunes for several miles, turning the ride into something that felt closer to Lawrence of Arabia than Southern California and Arizona cycling. Sand in the air, sand between my teeth—but thankfully it only lasted about six miles before conditions improved.
The rest of the day stayed true desert riding: long open stretches, gradual elevation changes, and very few services along the route. That’s when the support vehicle really earns its keep. Around mile 38 we stopped roadside for peanut butter and Nutella sandwiches—which tasted outstanding at the time—and then carried good momentum on rolling terrain into Blythe.
Day 5 was a day of rest and recovery. At the Comfort Inn & Suites in Blythe, we met Angel, the manager, who may have single-handedly saved our mobile technology operation. She helped restore our Starlink connection and assisted with uploading Insta360 ride footage after several frustrating attempts earlier in the trip. Support like that keeps this ride visible—and visibility helps drive the mission forward.
Scott and Karen met Nicky, a bus driver with the Palo Verde School District, who immediately connected with the purpose behind the ride. The following morning she gathered fellow drivers to record a short encouragement video for the journey. Seeing people who work with children every day respond to the No Kid Hungry mission like that is incredibly meaningful.
Day 6 The ride toward Salome introduced another first: about 25 miles along Interstate 10. Anticipating debris along the shoulder, I switched from my road bike to the gravel bike—and that decision paid off. Several wire fragments embedded themselves in the tires but sealed immediately. On narrower tires, the outcome might have been very different.
Cloud cover helped keep temperatures manageable, and Karen introduced a cooling scarf that turned out to be a welcome relief. Lunch again came courtesy of the “Outlaw” (That is what we have named the support vehicle)—peanut butter and apples that day—and we rolled into the 4 cottage room boutique Westward Inn in Salome feeling good.
Dinner plans changed when the Cactus Bar turned out to be closed, but the nearby Standard motel café stepped in with hearty comfort food good enough that we returned there the next morning for pancakes before heading toward Wickenburg.
Day 7 The ride into Wickenburg covered about 55 miles with some rough pavement stretches along Route 60. Glad I stayed on the gravel bike. Still, favorable winds and overcast skies helped maintain steady progress. Wickenburg itself has a strong western character—ranch country, mining roots, and a historic downtown—and it gave us a welcome pause in the schedule.
Day 8 During our stop there I connected with my partner Rob Quarton, who flew in from Newport and Jonathan Paine joining from Houston and had a productive meeting in Phoenix with LIV Communities. Later that evening we shared dinner with our friend Kevin Greenberg before preparing for what may be one of the most demanding days yet: the climb to Prescott.
Six riding days down. 401 miles completed.
This ride isn’t about miles—it’s about raising awareness and making sure more kids across America have reliable access to the meals they need to learn, grow, and thrive. If you’ve been following the journey and have contributed you are making a difference. If you would like to help, please consider making a donation to support the No Kid Hungry Ride. Every contribution—large or small—moves us closer to our goal of raising $1 million to help end childhood hunger in the United States. Together, we can turn awareness into action and miles into meals.
