Ride 2 Recovery Day 1: How Do You Know?

A therapeutic challenge: Veterans with physical, mental injuries will bike from San Francisco to Los Angeles.

To Support Our Wounded Vets.

Day one of the 2nd annual Golden State Challenge with more than 150 participants headed of from the San Francisco VA towards the seaside town of Santa Cruz. The 75-mile ride took the riders thru scenic Northern California coastline including Pacifica, Half Moon Bay, and the climb of Bonnie Doon. The weather could not have been more perfect with sunny skies and a nice 15 mph tailwind. The ride is made up of groups from the Palo Alto, San Francisco, Livermoore, Fresno, Antelope Valley, West LA, and Sepulveda VA’s. Military groups come from Walter Reed, Brooke Army MC, San Diego Naval MC, Ft Irwin, Ft. Eustice, California National Guard, and several Viet Nam vets. One of the best scenes of the day was SF VA’s Eric Downing come out on his tandem with his 5 year old son.

We had the Hospital Director from the Fresno VA along for the ride for the first couple of days showing the growing importance of the program.

One of the things that people always ask is how do you know if you are really making a difference?

Last year 14 wounded heroes took part in the ride without having ridden a bike since childhood. They received their bikes the day before the ride started and had no time to prepare. Fast forward to 2009 and thanks to a grant from the USO, 78 bikes have been given to wounded heroes throughout the US. This has given the participants time to train and set up their riding position. The wounded vets have been training for months just to prepare for this event. Our first handcycle and trike cycle riders are trying to overcome the hills of California. Nate Hunt, a veteran of 2 R2R events this year has taken California as his personal challenge. 75 miles down and no one doubts that he will make it all the way.

One of those 14 riders was Elmer Urgarte. Ugarte, a native of San Diego, said he signed up for the ride as a tribute to 2 of his friends that did not make it out of Iraq. Urgarte was shot in the chest by a sniper while patrolling Karmah, Iraq, on July 23. He was rushed to the hospital in Iraq and was dead for 5 minutes. Because of the great work of the medical staff, he was eventually given a new lease on life. A chance that he did not want to waste. The surgery from Ugarte’s wound left a scar from his sternum to several inches below his naval.

He had several subsequent surgeries and had trouble breathing. Despite all this he decided to show up to San Francisco last year. He rode most of the ride but suffered greatly. Few will forget the heartfelt impromptu address he made at the Solvang dinner.

This year, Urgarte showed up to San Francisco a completely changed man. Gone was almost 50 pounds and a new found dedication of health and fitness.

“Cycling is my new addiction, and because of this ride, it will become yours,” he told the participants prior to the start of the ride. “Last year I struggled and this year I came to have a great time.

The new improved Elmer…..

This is a great example of how the program affects the participants and how they can benefit.