Jacksonville Man Bikes for Diabetes

Have you heard about this guy? He’s biking across the country to raise awareness — and money — for diabetes and multiple sclerosis. It’s going to take him a couple of years and he’s planning to travel 15,000 miles on a vintage Schwinn. I think it’s awesome that he’s doing this, but it’s even more awesome that he’s from Jacksonville. I really think that he has the power to inspire other people in our community to get on their bikes, and the more people we have on bikes here in Jacksonville, the better.

I also love his persistence. The article says he’s been hit by cars 16 times while biking, been severely injured and told by doctors that he would never walk again. And now he’s biking across the entire country — risking injury again, yes, but also proving that “it’s just like riding a bike”
isn’t just an expression — it really is that easy to get back on a bike.

He also states that biking has helped his diabetes, which is another important piece of information that I would like to see amplified. If we can make people see that biking leads to improved health, we will be able to garner more support for better biking infrastructure  in our community. People will want to improve their health, and they will need a safe place to ride their bikes.

As fellow Jacksonville bikers, I think we should all support Raven Stands Alone’s cause. Be sure to share the article and get the word out!