Alums Bike 1,200 Miles for Charity

Victoria Fanslow and Diane Gantenhammer, graduates of the Class of 2004, spent the past 26 days biking 1,200 miles to benefit Support for International Change.

The friends raised $2,700 for the organization that works to reduce the impact of HIV and AIDS in northern Tanzania.

Fanslow and Gantenhammer came up with the idea back in January and ultimately decided to take a one month journey from Vancouver to San Francisco in May, averaging about 50 miles a day.

The friends spent half the nights camping and the other half staying at homes offered through couchsurfing.com and warmshowers.org.

On her blog, Gantenhammer described their many different encounters along the way, including time spent with a fishermen who informed them about the wind speeds they'd encounter ahead, a nurse who worked purely to fund his windsurfing addiction, a tree cutter who started his own business in the heart of the California redwoods and a hippie who converted a schoolbus into a place for travelers to stay.

They experienced rain, falls over railroad tracks, extreme hills and even dog attacks before finishing their journey last week.

"After 26 days and over 1,200 miles of riding, my bicycle has become a home to me," Gantenhammer said. "Biking quickly switched from being a casual hobby to my full-time job, spending 7-8 hours a day leaning forward with arms outstretched and legs rotating almost unconsciously."

For a full recount of their adventures, visit www.bikeforchange.wordpress.com and  www.dianegantenhammer.blogspot.com.