The Ride of Their Lives

A special group is traveling across America.

It’s a bike ride unlike any other. Their journey began at the Pacific Ocean. Their destination – the Atlantic.

The Sea to Shining Sea riders are veterans. Having served America in wars from Afghanistan to Iraq and Bosnia to Vietnam, they live with disabilities ranging from loss of limbs to blindness to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

But now, they are not separated by disabilities or military service…They are joined together in the similarities they share through their courage and strength.

"The thing is as you’re going through different challenges, and that’s what we’re trying to prove here to a lot of the other disabled veterans, maybe we’re not so disabled really. Maybe we’re just going through this adaptive ability, that’s a new normal for us and who can really say what normal is," said Mike Sanders, United States Air Force.

The 63 day, four-thousand mile journey took them across the deserts of Nevada, the mountains in Colorado and the plains of Arkansas…A trip some thought they would never have the chance to make.

"I said a long time ago when I left Vietnam I said I really would like to travel this country and see what I fought for and all, I just didn’t realize it’d take me this long in my life and that my hiney would be about six inches off the ground the whole time," said Bill Czyzewski, Vietnam Veteran.

Thanks to the sponsors: World T.E.A.M. Sports, State Farm and the U.S.O., their lives have been forever changed and bonds formed that will never be broken. The ride provides a dramatic example that disabled Americans can lead amazing lives and accomplish remarkable feats.

"We’ve got two weeks left now it’s almost over. We passed 3,000 miles today so now we’re on the downslide and it’s like in two weeks it will be over with. Let’s go back. It’s turning into I don’t want it to end," said Michael Manning, United States Marine Corps.

The riders will conclude their trip July 28th in Virginia Beach.