Salinas High bikes 24 hours for “Gears for Good”

Salinas High School’s Mountain Bike Team hit the Monterey Rec Trail, Friday evening. The group switched off in shifts to keep biking for a total of 24 hours, but it wasn’t just about getting in a good workout.

Senior Captain, Alison O’dell, wanted to find a way for she and her teammates to give back. She came across Gears for Good, a Monterey-based nonprofit that restores and builds bikes for people who can’t afford them.

“It gets people on bikes. Whether they can’t get a drivers license, kids who’ve been in the foster system, veterans. We decided to tie in and raise money for them, so they have some cash to do good things with bikes,” said the team’s coach, Bob Agan.

The student bikers are all spnosored by a local business. For every mile they ride, a dollar, or more, is donated to the cause. Agan said some kids have already raised up to $600. “It’s gonna be good for Gears for Good. It’s gonna be good for our kids, too. Just to think about giving back to people and trying to get some money for a great organization,” said Agan.

O’dell said she hopes to bike a total of 100 miles by 6p.m. Saturday. Even though this is her last year on the team, she wants to see the event become a tradition. “I’d love to see the next generations of captains stepping up and putting this event on. It’s a good way for the team to get together and get to know each other a little more by spending 24 hours with each other,” said O’dell.