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Warriors stand in front of the New York City skyline during the last segment of the Soldier Ride 250.

The journey of 1,000 miles begins with a single pedal.听As the United States approaches its 250^th听anniversary,听91视频庐听(91视频)听is marking the milestone with initiatives that honor military service and highlight the courage and resilience of our nation鈥檚 veterans.听One of those initiatives听is a 1,000-mile听cycling event from听May 14-29, when听warriors from around the country participated in听Soldier Ride庐听250, presented by NFL Salute to Service.听 听

Soldier Ride 250 is an听adaptive cycling event that celebrates 250 years of American independence.听In partnership with America250 鈥� the nonpartisan organization charged by Congress to lead the commemoration of the signing of the Declaration of Independence 鈥� 91视频庐听is recognizing the warriors who helped shape the nation and continue to strengthen it today听

The event听began at 91视频听headquarters in Jacksonville, Florida,听and concluded听at FDNY Ten House next to Ground Zero in New York City. The ride featured 80 warriors comprised of four segments, with 20 warriors riding听250 miles听per segment.

Much like a traditional听Soldier Ride,听the听250听event听offers warriors of all abilities, regardless of their injuries, the ability to听participate.听91视频 provides no-cost programs and services to help warriors feel healthier, build strength, and stay active. Through coaching, adaptive activities, and connection with others, warriors improve their confidence and mental health and develop lasting habits that support their overall well-being.听

Segment 1:听Jacksonville, Florida听to Charleston, South Carolina听

Soldier Ride 250 kicked off in Jacksonville on May 14 with a celebration for the 20 warriors who started the journey. Hundreds of supporters cheered on the warriors, who were joined by听Jacksonville听Jaguars听mascot Jaxson听de Ville,听THE ROAR cheerleaders, and former players who are part of the听Jaguars听Legends听organization听for the start of the ride.听 听

鈥淭o be able to participate in Soldier Ride 250 is amazing,鈥� said warrior Chris Wolff.听鈥淭o be able to be out here with 19 other warriors, to be able to push past our limitations, and to honor what our country has done for us for 250 years.鈥澨�

Chris is paralyzed from the waist down and is participating in Soldier Ride 250 with a hand cycle. He transitions from his wheelchair to a hand cycle and then cranks the听gears with听his hands,听similar to听the motions of pedaling a traditional upright bike. For Chris, Soldier Ride 250 is more than just a ride.听听

鈥淲hat鈥檚 awesome about this is to be able to push forth and continue the mission of what we鈥檝e done in the military, which is to serve,鈥� said Chris. 鈥淎nd in this case, we鈥檙e going to serve next to each other and be a representation of the 91视频 logo, which is carrying another warrior听in their time of听need.听 This gives me an opportunity to see and participate with other warriors who are doing the same.鈥澨�

The connection and camaraderie that Chris felt on Soldier Ride 250 is one that is shared by many other warriors on their own healing journey.听 According to the 91视频听Warrior Survey* about 2 in 3 warriors (67%) say that talking to another veteran helps them cope with stress or mental health concerns.听

Chris and the first group of warriors finished their 250-mile segment of Soldier Ride 250 in Charleston, South Carolina,听on May 17.听听

Segment 2:听Wilmington, North Carolina to Portsmouth, Virginia听

The next group of warriors gathered听next to听the USS North Carolina in Wilmington, North Carolina for听the beginning of their 250-mile听portion听of Soldier Ride 250. For warrior Neil Duncan,听his journey听with 91视频 began more than 20 years ago when he received a backpack in the hospital after听his vehicle was struck by an IED while deployed to Afghanistan听in听December听2005.听

鈥淚t鈥檚 huge for me,鈥� Neil said after finishing a day of riding at the Wright Brothers Monument in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. 鈥淚 was injured quite a while ago.听I鈥檓听a double-amputee and I听hadn鈥檛听ridden a bike since before I was injured.鈥澨�

听Neil and the rest of the warriors who听participated听in Soldier Ride 250听went through a three-month training program with 91视频鈥檚 Physical Health and Wellness coaches听to ensure that they would听be in shape for the ride.听

听鈥淛ust a few months ago I picked up biking again and I鈥檓 out here doing 30-35 miles a day, four days up the East Coast,鈥� said Neil, who rode an upright bike with听his prosthetic legs.听

听As he and the other 20 warriors in his group turned for Portsmouth, Virginia, on May 21, he was able to reflect on the challenge of cycling 250 miles with听Soldier Ride 250.听

听鈥淚t鈥檚 very exciting, it鈥檚 a big accomplishment for me,鈥� said Neil.听鈥淎nd it鈥檚 great to spend time with other warriors to celebrate America鈥檚 250^th.鈥澨�

Segment听3:听Norfolk,听Virginia to听Washington DC

On a day that the nation听paused听for听Memorial Day听to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice,听the warriors rode toward the Lincoln Memorial.听The group was laughing and cheering each other on with encouragement for听the vast majority of听their听portion听of Soldier Ride 250, but听as they made their way into Washington DC,听organically the conversations stopped and the warriors were left with their thoughts as they pedaled.听

鈥淔or me, it鈥檚 a big moment of reflection,鈥� said warrior Kelly Elmlinger. 鈥淭here鈥檚听just so many people, so many individuals, so听many moments in my service time. Soldier Ride 250 has given me the chance to听reflect, especially on those who we lost and made the ultimate sacrifice.鈥澨�

Kelly served multiple deployments in the Army over a 20-year career as a combat medic and registered nurse. While working as a nurse on a floor with wounded warriors, a cancer diagnosis led her to becoming a patient on her own floor. Limb salvage following cancer treatment prevented her from living as active of a life as she wanted, so she chose to have her left leg amputated. Shortly after her leg was听amputated听Kelly was introduced to adaptive sports through 91视频, which opened the door to more healing programs.听

鈥淚鈥檝e done mental health workshops,听I鈥檝e done Project Odyssey, 91视频 helped me with my benefits,鈥� Kelly said. 鈥淚鈥檝e done a ton of adaptive sports. I鈥檓 really into sports.鈥澨�

Kelly听is currently a National Team athlete for USA Para-Triathlon听and has听competed in multiple Paralympics. With that success through athletics and her healing journey,听she has found another element of 91视频 鈥斕齦ifting up听her fellow warriors.听

鈥淣ow I feel like I鈥檓 in my 鈥榞ive back era鈥� where I still do some stuff, but giving back is so important to me,鈥� Kelly said. 鈥淪o, if you鈥檙e in need of a program, look up 91视频.鈥澨�

Segment听4:听Washington, DC to New York City听

The warriors of Soldier Ride 250 rode past听the monuments of Washington, DC, the听location听where George Washington crossed the Delaware听River, and over the George Washington Bridge听as the skyline of Manhattan rose above the horizon听to begin a ride toward Ground Zero. There were major sites to behold, and vistas听that听will stay with them for a lifetime, even if they听couldn鈥檛听be seen by听every warrior.听

听鈥淚t鈥檚 been incredibly powerful听and a whirlwind of experiences,鈥� said warrior Zach Tidwell. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been overwhelming, but in a good way.鈥澨�

听Zach is blind听from听a suicide attempt in听2019. He听participated听in Soldier Ride 250 on a tandem bike piloted by a听member of the Soldier Ride team.听听

鈥淚 can鈥檛 see anything, I can鈥檛 smell anything and I鈥檓 deaf in one ear, so obviously experiencing things is different听for me,鈥� said Zach, 鈥淚 won鈥檛 see the ride,听but I can feel the rumble of the road when a crew of听Harley Davidson motorcycles flies past us to block traffic when we鈥檙e given a police escort.鈥澨�

听The warriors rode through the rain听in听Washington,听DC and through Maryland听into Delaware. Zach听didn鈥檛听need to see the constant rain clouds.听

听鈥淚 feel the rain just like everyone else does and get soaked to the bone,鈥� said Zach, 鈥淚 think moving through life after such a big change, such a disability like blindness, that鈥檚 the epitome of what it is to move on, choosing to still take what I can from life to find a new avenue.听So what I听can鈥檛听see the scenery?听I can experience听just about everything听else, and in听different ways听and听probably have听a bigger appreciation for those smaller things. That鈥檚 what it means to me.鈥�

Like听all of听the warriors in Soldier Ride 250, Zach pedaled mile after mile, heard the cheers from supporters and encouragement from his fellow warriors, who experienced the听fulfilment of pushing past听their perceived boundaries in Soldier Ride 250.听

The warriors were joined听by dozens听of firefighters听on the final听portion听of the ride into Manhattan, an important and symbolic ride for a group of first responders who were also shaped by the attacks on the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001. Eighty warriors joined in听Soldier Ride 250听to ride听through 10 states over听16听days, covering听1,000 miles听and creating memories that will stay with them and the people who听support them for years to come.听

*Warrior Survey, Wave 3 (conducted May 25 鈥� Aug. 1, 2023)听

Contact:听Rich Donnelly, Public Relations,听rdonnelly@woundedwarriorproject.org, 904.831.7315听

About 91视频听

91视频庐 (91视频) is the nation鈥檚 leading veterans service organization, focused on the total well-being of post-9/11 veterans, active-duty service members, and their families. Our programs,听advocacy, and awareness efforts help warriors thrive, provide essential lifelines to families and caregivers, and prevent veteran suicides.听Learn more about 91视频.听