'Ride 2 Recovery' heads to the Beach

The reason behind the "Ride 2 Recovery" is as incredible as the men and women who are participating in it.

Riders explained to WAVY.com, wounded veterans can face a world of physical and emotional obstacles when they come home from war. Physical activity, in this case cycling, can put - and keep them on a road to recovery.

So from Washington, D.C., to Hampton, VA, dozens of riders have been moving South and East. They ride with the wounds of war, some that are not so visible.

Jim Penseyres, a 62 year old rider told WAVY.com, "A lot of the guys have issues. They look back at the war and all the things they had to do. They're out of it now and they need to get on with life."

Nathan Hunt, said, "It's showing self accomplishment and raising our own standards, our own goals higher."

Nathan said he grew up in a competitive family. When he joined the Army a decade ago, he carried that spirit with him. He hasn't lost it.

"I was injured May 10, 2008 in Baghdad, Iraq," Hunt said from the hand bike he's using for this journey. Hunt lost both legs in the war.

Each of the more than 350 miles the veterans travel takes them to a place of achievement. The group provides support for individual victories.

Army soldier Patty Collins, explained this is the third ride for her. "I've been an amputee for 2 years so I consider myself rehabilitated. But there are a lot of folks that are new and still understanding what can my body still do now that it's different than it was before," she said.

After returning safely from a tour of duty in Iraq, Collins lost her leg.
"I home from Iraq in May of 06 and 6 weeks later I was struck by a car while cycling to work. And the Army has been great to me, I'm still on active duty," she said.

She said she rides to help other vets, because of those who have helped her.
One of them, Jim Penseyres is on this ride.

Penseyres said, "This program is for the young vets coming out of the Afghan and Iraq wars. Just to give them self-esteem and let them know they can power themselves down the road."

Penseyres knows. He was a young veteran, 40 years ago.
"I'm a Vietnam Veteran. I stepped on a land mine , my second purple heart. And I lost my leg over there," he said matter-of-factly.

They call it the ride to recovery. WAVY.com asked Penseyres about the personal ride he has taken, through riding with the "young vets."

There was silence. Another 20 seconds passed. Behind the dark sunglasses, the Marine paused, wiped a red face and said...

"The outpouring of the people who come out, indescribable. For these guy, when kids come up and ask them questions and cheer - There's so much healing that goes on that it's just indescribable."

The Ride 2 Recover is about overcoming the physical, and mental toll of combat, regardless of the battlefield.

Money raised through the ride is used to purchase bicycles for wounded veterans, and support cycling programs at military hospitals.

The Ride 2 Recovery went from Williamsburg to Hampton Friday. Riders are expected to leave from Oceanview in Norfolk, Saturday morning around 10:30 a.m.
The first group should arrive at the Cavalier Hotel in Virginia Beach oceanfront between 1 and 2 p.m.
Saturday evening, riders will participate in a concert with David Cooke.
 

Veterans wounded in combat are expected to cycle into Virginia Beach this weekend when the Ride 2 Recovery will end.

The group started pedaling Monday from Washington, D.C. and riders biked through Richmond on Thursday. They stopped in Virginia's capital city to have a breakfast meeting with Governor Tim Kaine.

The founder of Ride 2 Recovery tells WAVY.com the program gives those who have lost limbs a goal to set for themselves. "Even though I'm wounded, I'm still, pushing my body and strive, and meet, meeting difficult goals," said combat veteran Nathan Hunt."I do it because, these men and women go in harm's way, and they provided me the lifestyle that I've grown accustomed to with, so I get chills everyday I'm around these heroes."

Once the wounded vets get to Virginia Beach, they will have cycled 350-miles.

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