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feet. Grant, Austin, Hendrix and Jared represented the Youth Home during this year’s ride, which raises money and awareness for PAYH and its work with young men.

There was little time for the riders to settle in. They left Vidalia on Saturday and covered 91 miles before ending the first day in Cordele. The group rotated positions at the front, allowing the riders to share the workload and conserve energy for the days ahead.

The opening day also included a crash after one bicycle clipped Jared’s back tire. The riders were able to continue, but the incident gave them an early reminder of how quickly trouble can develop on the road.

Another 82 miles followed Sunday as the group traveled from Cordele to Thomasville. The riders tried to maintain a steady pace rather than use too much energy early in the week. Grant led the morning devotion before the second leg of the trip began.

The group left Thomasville on Monday and rode 77 miles to Homerville. The route was mostly flat, but the Georgia heat made the day more difficult. Fatigue began to set in during the later miles, and one of the riders also had trouble with a bicycle derailleur. Jared led the devotion before the group headed out.

Tuesday’s route took the riders 75 miles from Homerville to Hazlehurst. Most of the day went smoothly before another crash interrupted the ride. No serious injury was reported, and the group was able to continue.

By the time they reached Hazlehurst at the end of the fourth day, the riders had covered 325 miles. The physical strain was becoming more noticeable, but they remained on schedule.

Wednesday brought the longest ride of the week, a 102-mile trip from Hazlehurst to Richmond Hill. The day put more emphasis on staying together and helping one another through the difficult stretches. Hendrix shared from Joshua 1:9 during the devotion and spoke about strength and the importance of working as a group.

At that point in the week, soreness and fatigue had become part of the routine. The riders continued to break the day into shorter sections, stopping to rest and regroup before returning to the road.

Austin led Thursday’s devotion as the group left Richmond Hill for Millen. The riders covered another 73 miles, keeping a steady pace and focusing on reaching Vidalia together rather than worrying about speed.

The final leg began Friday morning in Millen. The riders covered the remaining 52 miles before making their way back to Vidalia and riding onto the PAYH campus. Other young men from the home, staff members and supporters were there to welcome them at the finish.

All Four Riders Completed The Trip This year’s route took the group from Vidalia to Cordele, Thomasville, Homerville, Hazlehurst, Richmond Hill and Millen before returning home. The seven daily rides measured 91, 82, 77, 75, 102, 73 and 52 miles.

In all, the riders covered 552 miles and climbed a combined 12,631 feet. The week included one ride of more than 100 miles, several difficult stretches and more than one unexpected problem. It also required the riders to depend on one another when the miles began to take their toll. The Annual Bike Ride was created in honor of PAYH founder Paul Anderson. In 1961, Anderson rode approximately 1,200 miles from Vidalia to Omaha, Nebraska, to raise awareness and financial support for his work with troubled young men.

That ride eventually helped Anderson connect with Truett Cathy, who made an early $25 donation and later became a longtime supporter and board member of the Youth Home.

The current ride continues Anderson’s fundraising effort. Money raised helps PAYH provide education, counseling, physical training, spiritual development and other services for young men dealing with legal problems, substance abuse, emotional struggles and behavioral issues.

The organization has served nearly 1,500 young men since it was founded.

A final fundraising total for this year’s ride had not been announced, but the four riders completed what they started. After seven days, 552 miles and more than 12,000 feet of elevation gain on the ride, Grant, Austin, Hendrix and Jared returned to Vidalia together.