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PALM BEACH COUNTY, Florida (WPTV) — A Boston cyclist is turning heartbreak into hope. After losing a close friend to young-onset colorectal cancer, Jay Weedall traveled to South Florida to begin a 2,600-mile bike ride from Key West to Maine, with a goal of raising $50,000 for research while honoring his friend’s memory.
“A friend of mine recently passed away from young onset rectal cancer,” Weedall said.
The death of his friend, who was also named Jay, inspired Weedall to honor his memory by riding his bike across the country.
“I’ve adventured around the world with him, ridden bikes together with him, and this felt like the best way to honor him now that he’s passed away,” Weedall said.
His goal is to raise $50,000 for the Young Onset Colorectal Cancer Research Center in honor of the friend he lost to the disease. To prepare, Weedall trained 200 to 300 miles a week, mapped out his route, and planned for the long journey ahead.
“So, there was a lot of preplanning to make sure that the roads that I’m going to go on are safe and have been ridden on by cyclists and let’s hope that the wind is kind to me,” Weedall said.
Weedall began his journey in Key West, pedaling 155 miles to Miami on day one.
“Something I learned after day one is hydration packs, good for hydration obviously but if you fill it up with ice it’s good for keeping you cold as well,” Weedall said.
I caught up with him the next morning as he set off on his second leg — a 163-mile ride to Vero Beach.
“Ideally, I try to beat the heat and then I’m going roughly 150 miles a day just niching my way up the coast through pretty much every state all the way to the Pan Mass Challenge. Then I’ll do the Pan Mass Challenge across Massachusetts on August 2nd. I’ll continue to the Canadian border in Maine,” Weedall said.
By avoiding highways, Weedall says the route offers something unexpected.
“By avoiding highways, I get to experience these little coastal towns along those inlets,” Weedall said.
When you’re riding hundreds of miles alone, Weedall says, you have plenty of time to think.
“Even when my legs are hurting, even when the traffic is big or even when I’m a little anxious about what’s going on around me, but I’m largely just thinking about my friend who doesn’t get the opportunity to do this with me anymore,” Weedall said.
Every pedal stroke is a tribute to his friend — and, he hopes, a step toward a cure.
Fans can follow Weedall’s journey on the cycling app Strava.
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