Injured Veterans To Set Off From Fort Lee On ‘Honor Ride’

More than 200 injured veterans and supporters will set off from the Holiday Inn in Fort Lee on bicycle rides ranging from 13 to 62 miles later this month to honor injured veterans and those who have served in the U.S. military, Ride 2 Recovery (R2R) announced.

The “Honor Ride” is the final part of R2R’s “Minuteman Challenge” which begins in Quincy, Mass. on Sept. 10 and covers more than 330 miles before finishing in Fort Lee on Sunday, Sept. 16.

Participants will ride road bikes, hand cycles, recumbent bikes and tandems, many of which have been modified to accommodate specific injuries, according to organizers.

There will be three route distances, 13, 36 and 62 miles, all of which start and finish at the Holiday Inn in Fort Lee. 

All four branches of the military send service men and women to R2R Challenges, according to organizers. 

“Cycling has proven to be a catalyst in the recovery process by providing a new physical challenge while concurrently helping to cope with the mental challenges,” a spokesperson said in a statement. “The Ride 2 Recovery long-distance, multi-day events challenge each rider individually to meet personal goals, to ride with others who have similar experiences and to find ways to cope with their ‘new normal’ through cycling and camaraderie.”

The nonprofit R2R helps service men and women ride regardless of their disabilities, with a team of “expert mechanics and professional cyclists” who modify road bikes, hand cycles and recumbent bicycles to fit the needs of individual riders, according to organizers.

For more information on R2R, the “Honor Ride” taking place in Fort Lee on Sept. 16 or the Minuteman Challenge, visit Ride 2 Recovery online.