On Memorial Day, May 25, 2026, Stuart Chapin will dip the rear tire of his bike in the Atlantic Ocean on the beach of Coney Island. On August 8, 76 days later, he plans to dip his front tire in the Pacific Ocean at the San Francisco Bay, after pedaling more than 3,000 miles. His trip stands out as more ambitious than even your average cross-country bike ride, combining sections of 13 different long-distance bicycle trails into a single snaking route from the Atlantic to the Pacific. It includes well-traveled pavement byways, as well as detours onto gravel roads and even mountain bike trails through the high peaks of the continental divide.
Stuart, a 30-year-old New York City resident and avid bike touring enthusiast, says that his initial inspiration was the 50th anniversary of the Adventure Cycling Association. However, as his plans came together, he knew we wanted to find a cause to fundraise for to give added meaning to his trip. As he explored different organizations to support, he found inspiration in the journey of another rider who crossed the country last year—Timm Fenton.
Choosing to Ride for ALS Research
Timm, who rode from Oregon to Virginia last summer, helped raise over $50,000 for critical research to end ALS at the ALS Therapy Development Institute (ALS TDI), in an effort he called Pedals vs. ALS. Stuart was immediately drawn to Timm’s story because of the parallels with his own background. Timm rode in honor of his mother, who had passed from ALS, while Stuart lost his own father, Scott, to the disease.
“At first, I considered getting involved with a few different charities,” Stuart says, “But when I saw that Timm had already done this with ALS TDI, I thought, 'that's great, the infrastructure is already there,' and since I lost my dad to ALS, I thought, ‘this would be a great cause.’”
Stuart says that his dad played a big part in inspiring his own sense of adventure — and that undertaking a challenge like this is a way to honor his memory.
“My dad was a pretty inspiring guy,” Stuart says. “He was raised in Mammoth Mountain, California, on a steady diet of horse riding, skiing, and mountaineering. He always had a trip planned for himself. He was always building something in the garage. It was hard to watch a guy who was very strong, who was very active and outgoing, slowly fade. There were a lot of things that he wanted to do that he didn't get a chance to.”
Planning an Epic Journey
With a cause to ride for, Stuart came up with a name for his effort — Going the Distance for ALS. He then set about plotting a route and gathering the gear he would need to successfully cross the country self-supported. While he already had several long-distance bike tours under his belt, including rides from Niagara Falls to New York City and Seattle to San Diego, this would be by far the biggest ride he’d ever attempted. He charted a course that would require him to ride about 65 miles a day for 76 days, an ambitious undertaking even for an experienced cyclist.
“On previous tours, my mileage has been between 55 to 90 a day,” he says. “I think 65 miles should be a mark I can hit, but that means 65 every day, with zero off days. There may be times when the weather gets bad or I have a mechanical issue. So, I’m going to have to try to put in a good deal of miles in the beginning to make sure that I give myself some room towards the end.”
Working with ALS TDI
To put his itinerary together, Stuart also worked with Glynis Murray, a Development Director at ALS TDI, who helped support Timm Fenton’s ride in 2025. Glynis will be tracking Stuart as he makes his way across the country, helping him through whatever logistical challenges he might face on the open road.
“Glynis knows exactly what to do—she’s been extremely helpful in getting everything ready,” says Stuart. “She knows where I’ll be when and what sort of accommodations I’ll be looking for. She’s going to help me find things like hotels and grocery stores to resupply at while I’m on the road. I’m looking forward to having her as my pit crew.”
However, Glynis and ALS TDI’s previous experience supporting a cross-country rider is only part of the reason Stuart decided to fundraise for them on his trip — it’s also a cause that he deeply believes in.
“I appreciate that ALS TDI is focused on finding drugs and therapies for ALS,” he says. “There are a lot of great charities that fund people who are living with ALS. But I feel like, if I can help, I want to put my efforts toward finding a cure. So, I feel that the mission of ALS TDI is really important — doing the research to find a way to end this disease.”
Sharing the Journey
To keep supporters up to date with his effort, Stuart plans to document his ride extensively. He’ll be posting regular updates on Facebook, Instagram, and his YouTube channel, with the goal of eventually compiling a documentary about his adventure. Along the way, he’s also hoping to share stories of people affected by ALS and ALS TDI’s work to end the disease.
Currently, he has one stop planned on July 12— an Ales for ALS™ craft beer event at the Cranky Sam Public House in Missoula, Montana. However, he’s hoping to add more stops along the way to connect with the ALS Community. If you’d be interested in connecting with Stuart, you can find a map of his route and more information on how to support his ride here.
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