Cycling from Minnesota to Florida, man embarks on trek for a good cause

Embarking on a 3,500-mile trek, a Colorado man is starting in Minneapolis and riding his bike all the way to Jacksonville, Florida, for a worthy cause.

This isn’t Bob Falkenberg’s first long cross-country trip. He’s done it for other times in support of Be The Match, a nonprofit that pairs people in need of bone marrow transplants with donors and helps patients pay for the expenses insurance won’t cover.

"[It’s] a little short bike ride from here to Boston and then down along the East Coast and finish up in Jacksonville, Florida," Falkenberg said.

He started the ride Saturday from Minneapolis to Rochester. From there, he will take his time, hopefully making to Jacksonville by July 25.

"What Bob does is really bring awareness and bring hope," said Stacey Chase with Be The Match.

Falkenberg is raising funds along his ride that will go directly to Be The Match to help those in need of bone marrow transplants. It’s a cause that’s close to his heart.

"I had Leukemia in 2009 and you know it’s a hard process," Falkenberg said.

He’s a cancer survivor himself and received a bone marrow transplant in October 2009. Ten months after his transplant he went on his first cross-country ride to raise awareness.

"It gives a lot of hope to patients to see somebody that’s survived it," he said.

This year, Be the Match is in need of the support.

"Because of COVID last year and all that happened during COVID and all the difficulties of making this happen, the fund is really depleted right now. It’s short about $900,000," Falkenberg said.

The money he raises will help the organization continue its work to save lives.

"It’s our mission to say yes to every patient who requests funding and we’re going to do that," Chase said.

Click here if you would like to follow Falkenberg’s trip or donate to Be the Match.