Cyclist Finishes Ride Around America for Diabetes Research
When Randy Wussler decided to ride his bicycle across the country, he had no idea that he would face so many challenges. But with the support of his family and friends, Randy was able to overcome everything that came his way.
Randy Wussler, pictured, completed his bicycling trip across America earlier this month to raise funds for diabetes research.
“I have been involved in endurance events for 15 years ... but have done nothing of this magnitude,” said Wussler, a Rancho Bernardo resident who has done 15 marathons and a 2019 Ironman competition. Randy started his journey in San Diego, California at Torrey Pines State Beach on April 21st. His goal was to dip his tires in the Atlantic Ocean in Manasquan, New Jersey - a place where he has fond childhood memories.
From backpacking through Machu Pichu in Peru to visiting many European tourist attractions, Randy has always loved adventure; so when he retired from his data analytics job in March and told his family he was going to ride across the country starting at San Diego's Pacific Ocean shoreline and finishing at NJ's Atlantic coastline, they immediately started planning how best support him logistically as "co-pilot". Not wanting just any finish line photo op, but one significant place from childhood memories.
The trip took him through 11 states and more than 3,400 miles. Along the way, Randy faced a bout of COVID-19 which forced him to take a detour from riding for two weeks while he recovered. He also had to deal with smoke from raging wildfires billowing into towns along his route causing air quality levels to plummet dangerously low. 14 days into the journey through New Mexico smoke was billowing miles away from raging wildfire causing air quality to plummet to dangerously low levels. Realizing it would be unwise to risk lives continuing to a bike in those conditions, compromise was made where Tish drove 20 miles ahead on the route where the air better was and he pedaled extra miles to "equate what I was going skip".
Despite all of these challenges, Randy persevered and crossed the finish line on June 27th accompanied by his wife Tish and a large group of family and friends.
Randy rode from the Riverside Café in Manasquan earlier this month to the nearby inlet and dipped his bike into the water. The tire crossing into the water marked the end of Wussler’s cross-country bicycle ride that started more than two months before, just time for the 50th Neptune HS reunion celebration.
Randy's journey wasn't just about crossing the country on his bike. He also wanted to raise money and awareness for Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation - a cause that is close to his heart as his 25-year-old daughter, Lexie, lives with Type 1 diabetes. Randy was able to raise $20,000 for JDRF through his blog which he updated daily from the road.