Following your dreams is an incredible feeling. But it’s even better when you know your hard work is going to a good cause. A man from Winter Park, Florida learned that when he embarked on a lengthy hike to raise money for rescue dogs. However, he knew he couldn’t stop there. Ever since his last trip along the Appalachian Trail, he decided to aim even higher.
Now, he’s preparing a bike ride across the entire country. Once again, his trip is raising money for the Golden Retriever Rescue of Mid-Florida, so this journey is not only life-changing for him, but for the dogs as well.
Hiking and Biking for a Cause
Dog lover Frank Carter doesn’t let anything hold him back from reaching his goals. He recently hiked the entirety of the Appalachian Trail, which went through 14 states and took 156 days. He even climbed to the top of Mount Katahdin in Maine.
“We got up really early and actually left before the sun came up so we could get up there and kind of have the mountaintop to ourselves without any muggles up there,” Carter said. “There wasn’t a dry eye on the mountain. It was quite the emotional experience for all of us after five months.”
During his hike, he raised money for the dog rescue along the way. He ended up surpassing his $5,000 goal, earning $5,300 instead. The Golden Retriever Rescue of Mid-Florida holds a special place in his heart because his 10-year-old Golden Retriever named Murphy recently passed away. Murphy had become a registered therapy dog with the rescue and he helped spread joy to others during his time on Earth.
After the Appalachian Trail excursion, Carter’s friend suggested that they bike across Florida. However, crossing a single state seemed insignificant compared to his last journey. It was time for him to go big or go home.
A Cross Country Journey
For the past two months, Carter planned a bike ride across the United States, calling it “Bike Across America 2020.” It’s a 3,000-mile trip from San Diego, California to New Smyrna, Florida. He plans to leave on November 20th, and he suspects that it will take him around 45 to 50 days to complete it, estimating that he bikes around 75 miles a day.
It might sound like a big commitment, but Carter has done plenty to prepare for it. Every weekend, he has biked 50 to 60 miles and he has also spent plenty of time running. He believes it will not take as much preparation as his last journey, though, because biking is easier for him than hiking.
“Once people get out and do big things, I think they realize they can do bigger things,” said Carter.
Carter plans to camp along the way and primarily ride solo. So, he will be safe from the coronavirus as he embarks on this unforgettable journey. He doesn’t have a concrete end date because he prefers to take life one day at a time.
During this intense trip, Carter hopes to raise at least $5,000 to the Golden Retriever Rescue of Mid-Florida again. Visit his GoFundMe to help support his journey and the dogs in need.
H/T: orlandosentinel.com
Featured Image: @goldenwalker1/Instagram
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