Tucker Swan '66 Bikes Cross Country for a Cause
Put your money where your mouth is? Tucker Swan ‘66 has gone way beyond that. An avid bicycler and a volunteer for Partakers.org and Boston University’s “College Behind Bars” program for the last five years, Tucker merged his commitment to these activities by joining a two month Tour2Cure ride across the country, from Charleston, MA to Santa Monica, CA. Much of the route follows historic Route 66 (“2300 miles of signs reminding me how old I’ll be at the end of the ride”).
Tucker was fundraising for Partakers and rode with a core group of two friends, father (Earl, 80 and a veteran of three earlier cross-country rides) and son (Glen, younger), making friends and spreading the word along the way. Others, including Tucker’s wife Diane and friends joined for days or weeks at a stretch. The team maintained a daily blog of their travels (and travails) which is hard to beat for unscripted entertainment value. There was also a coordinated progress map.
Starting on July 31 with a ceremonial tire-dip in the Atlantic, the guys’ ride combined every conceivable challenge for cyclists, starting well before the merely sublime and screaming past the wholly ridiculous. People bought them breakfast, or donated, or both. On a seemingly regular basis, complete strangers appeared to solve random problems serendipitously. Tucker managed to obtain a milk shake every day of the 60-day ride, maintaining the streak even where milk shakes are unknown. The weather was better than they anticipated (because other parts of the country have had worse?) and they found beauty in places both expected and bizarre. Despite food photos showing massive breakfast creations, Tucker lost five pounds. Their spirits were impressive.
They had problems too. Some motels had swimming pools, but without water. Riders went astray, occasionally for hours. Earl prepared a detailed route cue sheet for the ride, turn by turn, but course correction was always in order. One day they planned to stay in a motel, but it turned out to have been closed for eight years. Cell service? Not always. And Glenn was hit by a truck! It destroyed his bike and put him into an ambulance, but he was back on the road with a new one two days later. You can see that they weathered along the way, but none looked worn.
In short, you just have to read the blog. And donate. And think about your own activities and commitments and how to make them work.
New Canaan Country School
New Canaan Country School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin and are afforded all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, sex, sexual orientation, national origin or ancestry, or disability in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, financial aid policies or any other school-administered programs.
