| By Vernon Robison Moapa Valley Progress Published June 2, 2010
Several men from the Moapa Valley braved the elements last week to make the long journey from northern Utah to Las Vegas; by bicycle. The seven men were making this monumental journey for a good cause. They had gathered public and private sponsors who had pledged monetary contributions to the Central Asia Institute (CAI) for each mile that they rode. By the time they reached their destination they had gone a total of 474 miles. The journey began on Monday, May 24 in South Jordan, Utah. |
 In the midst of a late season snow storm, a group of cyclists from Moapa Valley got started in South Jordan Utah. Pictured l to r are Robert Wollenzien, Tyler Bailey, Kyle Nielsen, Cameron Wilson, Darrin Applegate, Wesley Wollenzien and Richard Olds. |
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| Despite record-breaking late season snow storms, the group started out taking Highway 89 through Fairview, Richfield, and Panguitch. They then cut over through Zion National Park and down into Hurricane, Utah. From St. George they travelled up the old Utah highway to bypass the gorge, finally connecting up with I-15 to Las Vegas.
They stopped in Moapa Valley on Friday evening at the end of their longest day, having biked for 11 hours. |
 Cyclists pause at the end of an eleven hour day on Friday for a photo on the I-15 near Logandale. |
Their toughest days were on Wednesday and Thursday when the men encountered 30 mph headwinds with gusts up to 47 mph. They only averaged 7 mph on the windy stretch from Richfield to Panguitch. But they made up the time on the last days going an average of 23 mph from Logandale to Las Vegas and completed that leg in only four hours.
They arrived at the final destination at the Cannery Buffet in Las Vegas at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday morning. The men feel strongly about the cause that they were championing on this trip. The group have raised over $5,000 for their charity. |
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The CAI is a non-profit organization with the mission to promote and support community-based education, especially for girls in remote regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan.
“As college students we recognize the importance of education,” said one of the riders, Darrin Applegate. “Each of us has been given the great gift and opportunity of receiving an education. We feel the moral responsibility to pass that along to others for the same opportunity.” Donations can still be made to this fundraising effort. Donations can be made directly at www.ikat.org/make-a-donation/. |
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