Bike ride for hungry to begin May 2

UM-Flint business student Seok Gyu Han has initiated Pedal to Feed, a union of cycling and activism aimed at remedying hunger at a local and international level. Pedal to Feed is organizing its 2011 America Bike Trip and is scheduled to begin May 2. They are looking for cyclists and sponsorships.

The trip was initially conceived as a journey from Flint to San Francisco, averaging 80 to 100 miles a day for about four months. Pedal to Feed cyclist Katherine Smith said it was "too intimidating to people who don't cycle every day," and so adjustments are being made to create a more accessible route. The group is currently debating between a route along the Mississippi River and a coastal route along the Atlantic.

Han has extensive experience with cross country cycling trips, including two in South Korea and one in the Himalayas. Han's resume of charitable work is similarly extensive, and he said he found his experience working with the poor in Bangladesh as particularly formative.

"I saw a lot of people starving, especially children. This has made me want to do something to improve the condition of the world. I've been planning this trip since before coming to the United States," he said.

Smith, a UM-Flint junior studying health science and anthropology, got involved after seeing a poster Han posted on campus. Smith had long been entranced with the stories of her father's bike trip across the U.S. in the 70s. The cause of Pedal to Feed, Smith said, especially "motivated and inspired" her.

"I think that as someone at a Flint college, it's good to develop this," Smith, a Flushing native, said. "There's a wide gap between the incredibly poor and the college here. Just blocks from campus there are people without access to basic needs."

Pedal to Feed is currently seeking donations and corporate sponsorships. All donations will go toward the cause of world hunger — 50 percent to Flint area food banks and shelters, 50 percent to World Vision. Sponsorships will help cover the costs of supplies for the trip as well as contribute to Pedal to Feed's charitable cause.

"We need people who sincerely want to help, who are willing to work hard and be the best that they can for the cause," Smith said. All that's required of the participant is training and a good bike. Smith said she has been training five days a week, while Han "bikes everywhere he goes." Smith is also a trained medical first-responder.

Asked what her family and friends make of her epic plans, Smith laughed. "People either tell me this is dangerous or people like my father say it'll be the experience of a lifetime. They either have one opinion or the other."

Han is optimistic about the impact his impending journey will have. "If I can gather five people per day, I will be able to gather 600 people within my 120-day trip. Furthermore, if one percent of them spread the news to their family on a daily basis, 3,000 people will be attracted. Then, if one percent of them pay attention to the issue and are willing to donate, we will be able to save 300 people from starvation," he said.

Visit pedaltofeed.com to volunteer or donate.

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