For the next ten weeks the bicyclists will ride across the United States from Seafarers Memorial Park in Anacortes, Washington to Colonial National Historical Park in Yorktown, Virginia. Riding with Foldberg are three other bicyclists, including Daniel Macfarlane (age 20), Nathan Macfarlane (age 17) and Evan Gillham (age 16).
The purpose of their adventure is three-fold. First and foremost, the bicyclists are raising awareness of the disabled military veterans who were wounded while serving our country. Secondly, the team is raising money for the Semper Fi Fund, a non-profit organization that helps disabled US Marines and other veterans. And lastly, because riding a bicycle 3,700 miles across the country while towing a 50-pound trailer seems like it will be an incredible experience.
This effort has been the long-time vision of Lt. Col. Foldberg, who retired from the United States Marine Corps after a lengthy career that included commanding Marines in Iraq during Desert Storm as well as long-term deployments to Afghanistan. Lt. Col. Foldberg is riding in memory of USMC Lance Corporals Christian Porter, Brian Lane, David Baker, and Shawn Hefner. LCpls Porter and Lane were killed while serving in Iraq during 1991. LCpls Baker and Hefner were killed while serving in Afghanistan during 2009. All four Marines were between the ages of 20-22 when they died.
Lt. Col. Foldberg has used the bicycle training to mentor the young men who will accompany him. The training regime included arduous goals that required the boys to shelve recreational activities in place of endurance training. Last month’s training found the bicyclists cycling sixty miles a day for three consecutive days while towing fifty pound trailers in triple digit temperatures!