2,500 miles. Unsupported. One really good reason to keep pedaling.
Best friends and past RAGBRAI participants Jim Lapuma and JD McCourt are taking on their biggest cycling adventure yet - a 2,500-mile unsupported journey along the Mississippi River while raising money for veterans, first responders and their families.
The pair recently rolled through Bettendorf with approximately 920 miles already behind them, carrying everything they need along the way.
And it hasn't exactly been a bike ride in the park.
The loaded bikes and challenging route have made for some tough miles, but Lapuma and McCourt say the ride is about something much bigger than themselves.
They're raising money for the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, a nonprofit that provides mortgage-free homes and other support to Gold Star families, families of fallen first responders and catastrophically injured veterans and first responders.
The timing of their journey also carries special meaning. 2026 marks the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks and America's 250th birthday.
“We're at the stage of our lives where we'd like to give back.”
And they're doing exactly that.
At the time of the report, the cyclists had already raised an impressive $37,000 toward their $50,000 goal.
Lapuma summed up the reason behind all those miles:
“If riding a bike down the Mississippi River is a show of thank you, then so be it. That's what we're doing.”
With more than 1,500 miles still ahead of them, they'll keep pushing south - raising awareness and dollars for the people and families they set out to honor.
Ride bikes. Do good.
Watch the story and learn more about their journey below.