SUBMITTED NEWS RELEASE
On July 24, armed with nothing but a bicycle and a great love for his country, Reno athletic fitness trainer, Max McManus, will embark on a journey where he plans to ride through all 50 U.S. states in 50 days. He will end his trip at Ground Zero on Sept. 11 for the 10th anniversary of the 9-11 terrorist attacks. McManus is calling this arduous endeavor the Freedom 50/50 tribute ride, dedicated to all of the men and women whose lives were taken in the 2001 terrorist attacks and to the brave heroes who have since died defending their country.
“I know it won’t be easy, but I cannot think of a better way to embrace the country,” said Max McManus, local athlete and Freedom 50/50 founder and rider. “I’ll struggle like America struggled, I’ll fight like she fought, and in the end, I hope to come out triumphant just as our country has over the past ten years.”
All net proceeds raised from the Freedom 50/50 tribute ride will benefit the 9-11 HelpAmerica Foundation, a non-profit corporation that provides financial assistance to wounded service members and families of fallen heroes. McManus hopes to raise one penny for each of the 311 million people that live in the U.S. Donations can be made on the Freedom 50/50 website at www.freedom5050.com by clicking on the donate tab.
McManus will bike approximately 150 miles per day, logging around 7,500 miles by his trip’s conclusion at Ground Zero in New York City. He plans to bike 8-10 hours per day, breaking up the time into two 4-5 hour increments. If McManus is successful in this nearly two-month-long undertaking, the Freedom 50/50 tribute ride will claim its own spot in the Guinness Book of World Records.
His journey begins when he flies to Anchorage, Alaska, where the Freedom 50/50 tribute ride will officially start at 12:01 a.m. After a short bike ride through Alaska, McManus will board a plane to Honolulu, Hawaii, where he will bike through the historical memorial of Pearl Harbor. On the night of the 24th, McManus will fly from Hawaii to the southern border of California and begin the 7,500 mile ride across the U.S. mainland connecting the continental U.S. in one continuous route. The plane trip from Hawaii to California marks the last time McManus will travel by anything but the power of his own two legs.
Throughout the tribute ride, McManus is encouraging patriotic Americans to ride with him for a portion of his journey. He is working with local bike shops to coordinate support rides in the most populous cities, but says he would love support riders during any portion of his journey. Interested participants can visit the Freedom 50/50 website and click the Join My Ride tab for more information about riding alongside Max.
“U.S. citizens embracing our freedom will give me the strength to push through the most difficult parts of my ride,” says McManus. “Whether through encouraging thoughts, generous donations, or support riders, I appreciate the support and hope I can make a difference.”