A group of University of Texas students will be riding through Denton County on Wednesday during the world’s longest charity bike ride.
Nearly 70 cyclists left Austin on Friday to begin the Texas 4000, the world’s longest charity bike ride. The 70-day ride covers more than 4,000 miles as the riders head toward Anchorage, Alaska.
The Texas 4000 is an 18-month leadership development program at UT that engages communities in the fight against cancer and the bike ride is its cornerstone event. Riders train for about 18 months, raising money for cancer research before, during and after the trip. This is the 15th annual team, and they have raised about $600,000 so far to fund cancer research.
The riders split up into three groups that will take different routes to Anchorage, and one group of 24 riders — including one of southern Denton County’s own — will be riding through Denton County on Wednesday.
Evan (Andrew) Welsh, 21, of Bartonville, will be passing near his hometown before heading toward the Rocky Mountains. Welsh, an Argyle High School graduate, rides for his father and grandfathers. His paternal grandfather died of Leukemia when Welsh was young, his maternal grandfather is now cancer-free after battling colon cancer, and his father is now cancer-free after being diagnosed with skin cancer about four years ago.
Click here for more information about Welsh, the Texas 4000 and how to donate.
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