Greenfield veteran set to ride in this year’s Ride 2 Recovery
A Greenfield man is among 200 injured veterans and their supporters who will depart Sunday for a seven-day, 465-mile bicycle ride.
The UnitedHealthcare Ride 2 Recovery California Challenge will leave from the VA Palo Alto Health Care System and travel to VA West Los Angeles Medical Center.
The cyclists, including U.S. Marine vet Estevan Rojas of Greenfield, will traverse the Pacific Coast Highway with overnight stops in Carmel, San Simeon, Pismo Beach, Solvang and Ventura.
This will be the third year Rojas has participated in the event. In 2012, Rojas began his participation by riding a leg of the course; in 2013, he rode the whole course from through to Los Angeles.
Rojas says seeing the bystanders in Morro Bay last year, waving flags to welcome the riders, made him feel incredibly proud and appreciate for his service.
Comedian Dennis Miller will welcome the riders in Solvang on Thursday, Oct. 9, and the riders will be joined for the last several miles by 94-year-old Tuskegee airman Lt. Col. Robert Friend.
The public is encouraged to gather along the daily ride routes or at the hotels to support the cyclists at any juncture along the route. To see daily stops and events along the route, or to sign up, click here.
Ride 2 Recovery supports physical and psychological rehabilitation programs for injured veterans.
