A fast trip will demand a bit of fast food.
That’s the lighthearted perspective of Columbus resident Mark Yeaton, 56, a longtime cyclist in peak condition and not normally linked to burger-and-fry guys.
But when he and two other riders depart from Louisville, Kentucky, today on a nine-day, 900-mile fundraising trip stretching into Sault St. Marie, Canada, they’ll take whatever nutrition they can get along what is known as the United States Bicycle Route.
“When the engine’s hot, you can easily burn just about anything (in calories),” he said.
Doug Yeaton, Mark Yeaton’s brother in Greenville and a former runner, and Columbus native and Indianapolis resident Len Newton also will be along for the ride. Unlike most such excursions that include a following or tracking van with supplies, the cyclists are carrying all gear with them in a move they call “bikepacking,” including camping along the way.
The trio aims to raise $1,600 that will become a low-interest loan to support two Ghanan families’ business plans via the Columbus-based ministry Mission Resource International.
For more on this story, see Saturday’s Republic.
