Bike rider on new trip to raise awareness of disease

[A.D.]

A year after Kyle Bryant rode his bike 2,400 miles to Memphis, Tenn., to raise money and awareness of the deadly disease he has, the Sacramento environmental engineer is at it again.

Bryant and 40 others left the Capitol on Saturday, headed for Las Vegas. Bryant has already received $70,000 in pledges toward research on Friedrich's ataxia (FA), the disease that causes progressive damage to the nervous system and leads to loss of muscle control.

Bryant, 26, became a hero in the FA community with his trip to Memphis, fighting through severe knee pain to arrive in time for the annual FA national convention.

"It makes me feel like I have a purpose in life. I know what I'm here for," Bryant said.

The 600-mile-plus trip to Las Vegas is expected to take 13 days. Though 40 riders are starting in Sacramento, several will only ride the first couple of days. Because of balance and muscle control issues, Bryant rides a three-wheel recumbent bike.

For information on making a donation, visit firstgiving.com (http://www.firstgiving.com/rideataxia)

taken from sacbee.com (http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/791992.html)


NOTE: His blog can be read at http://www.rideataxia.blogspot.com/

[B-Savage]

A.D., maybe we should do something like that for post-polio and MS. Are you reading this Honeybee?

[Serenity]

Dennis, William and I do participate in the MS150. We have for three years now. We ride our bents. Each year we get better and better at it. We had a god response from family and friends, & RR the first year. However, with the economy plodding along things have been a little sparse. We are hoping this year to have a totally recumbent team and we'll all ride Razor's Edge Bikes (hopefully). It will NOT be through hilly east tennessee. It will be in rollers and flats of Nashville area. HINT HINT...if anyone is interested in being on the team.