Community Corner

Cross County—the Whole Country—for the Cure

Tri-City men embark on 3,092-mile bike ride to raise awareness of breast cancer.

For three Tri-City men, the ride of a lifetime starts this morning. 

The journey is 3,096 miles from San Diego to St. Augustine, FL, by bicycle. The cause is raising breast cancer awareness.

And for Jack and Athen Sinodinos and Ricky Rodriguez, making a difference is the backbone of this endeavor.

The three are taking on their self-titled Susan G. Komen Passionately Pink for the Cure Cross Country Bike Tour.

Family members have been impressed with the group's dedication in preparation for the trip.

Bill Sinodinos said he is proud of his two sons' intentions. He has even invested in their trip by sponsoring the trio and purchasing an RV for their months-long trip. The Sinodinos family owns  on Cedar Boulevard.

Having lost his mother to breast cancer, Bill Sinodinos said the disease has intimately impacted the family from Fremont.

This is part of the reason why 23-year-old Jack Sinodinos said he pushed to turn the idea of a cross-country ride along the southern edge of the nation into reality.

"It's a once in a lifetime opportunity while we're young," Jack Sinodinos said. "We'll have a great adventure, and doing it for the cure makes riding worth it."

Athen Sinodinos, 19, echoed his brother's excitement and said he's looking forward to the opportunities of bonding while raising funds for breast cancer awareness.

"Once we're done, we can achieve everything physically and mentally," he said.

Cancer still plays a huge part in the life of 25-year-old Ricky Rodriguez, who lost his father to cancer 15 years ago. Rodriguez decided to take on the challenge in order to honor his father.

"It was a hard time. To lose my father at that age was definitely tough," Rodriguez said. "I'm definitely doing it for my dad because he has a place in my heart."

The trio's first major stop will be in Tempe, AZ, and along for the ride until then is family friend Jim Lamb, who said he is inspired by the young men's initiative.

Lamb said the overall challenge for the trio may be maintaining a high level of motivation.

"Overall, I think when a trip like this starts, it's going to be fun. They'll have to keep their heads in it," Lamb said.

While Jack and Athens' mother, Toula Sinodinos, is a bit nervous about the trip, she is confident in the team's expedition and motivation.

"They have the drive to do it," she said.

Preparation and training are keys to making sure the trip is successful, Jack Sinodinos said. The three have maintained a training schedule. On the road they plan to rotate between vehicles, with two team members riding bikes and one driving the RV.

Donations will be collected throughout their trip, and all proceeds will go toward the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation. To learn more about the team's goals or to donate, visit their website here or "like" them on Facebook.


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