‘Everyone said I was crazy to do this’

Dan Roman of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish rides across the country to honor his father, raise funds for Parkinson’s

By Dan McWilliams

Dan Roman completed a charity bicycle ride of 5,000-plus miles from coast to coast this spring and summer, putting up with considerable weather and bike issues along the way, but all to honor his late father and support research into and raise awareness of Parkinson’s disease, which his dad suffered from.

The parishioner of Our Lady of Lourdes in South Pittsburg left his home in the diocese’s southwestern corner on May 13, started cycling the next day from Portland, Maine, and reached his destination of San Francisco on Aug. 3.

“Since my dad was always into helping others and raising funds for the needy, I decided to honor him by cycling to raise money for Parkinson’s,” Mr. Roman said. “My dad, Roger, was a cradle Italian Catholic. My dad and mom (Sharon) are/were active members of their parish in Stockton, Calif., and had been married for almost 68 years at the time of my dad’s passing. He was the kind of man who spoke through his actions. He was a proud husband, son, dad, papà, and Catholic man. He was a Knights of Columbus member for decades, volunteered at food banks, right-to-life events, the Salvation Army, and United Way, and was a member of Rotary and numerous other local clubs.”

The elder Roman “started riding a bike seriously at around age 50 or so,” Dan Roman said. “Around the same time he started cycling, he would get extremely tired and went to numerous doctors and specialists. He wasn’t diagnosed with Parkinson’s until about 25 years later.”

Dan Roman’s bike ride came full circle as his family celebrated the country’s Bicentennial in 1976 while he marked the United States’ 250th anniversary this July on his road west.

“In 1976, we took a family vacation across the country to celebrate the Bicentennial,” he said. “My dad and I noticed dozens and dozens of people cycling over the Rocky Mountains carrying all their gear. Decades later, my dad and I spoke about this, as he wanted to ride across America, too. That was always one of his dreams, which unfortunately never came to fruition. I wanted to ride across America before my dad passed away so he could see the country through my experience. Unfortunately, he passed before I could accomplish this.”

The departure date on his cross-country ride, May 13, was the one-year anniversary of Roger Roman’s funeral service.

The distance of the bike ride has a significance.

“I decided to cycle 5,150 miles because everyone said I was crazy to do this by myself and because I was going to be 100 percent self-contained,” Mr. Roman said. “Since I’m retired law enforcement from California, I decided 5,150 miles was appropriate because the California Welfare and Institutions Code for being ‘crazy’ is 5150. I figured my dad would get a kick out of that.”

From Maine to San Francisco

Mr. Roman could truly sing “I’ve Been Everywhere,” a song mentioning multiple cities recorded by Johnny Cash, Hank Snow, and many other artists.

“I have ridden through 25 states,” he said. “My route has taken me from Maine through New Hampshire to Eden, Vt., near Canada, back down through Massachusetts to Rhode Island, through Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware to Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and Ohio. I ended up crossing the Ohio River seven times.

“Then I rode to Kentucky, up to Indiana, to Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, up to Wyoming through Yellowstone, past parts of Montana, down to Idaho, Utah, and then I crossed the Nevada desert on Highway 50—also known as America’s Loneliest Road—to Tahoe and over to San Francisco. Highway 50 from Delta, Utah, to Tahoe is truly America’s longest, loneliest road.”

The flagship campus of the University of Colorado saw him celebrate the country’s semiquincentennial.

“On the 4th of July, I was in Boulder, Colo., in a small local restaurant. I had one local beer to celebrate our nation’s 250th birthday, and of course I had an American cheeseburger,” Mr. Roman said.

Through such apps as Couchsurfing and Warmshowers, Mr. Roman found hosts to put him up for a night.

“These are usually like-minded individuals who have done hiking or biking in the United States or different countries. Most of the host families have been in my situation: needing a place to sleep, a hot shower, or a hot meal. It’s free, and you meet some extremely generous people,” he said.

His overnight stays varied along the way.

“I’ve stayed about 12 nights with family and friends throughout the country, and 10 nights with individuals from Warmshowers. I have stayed in people’s backyards, city parks, campgrounds, hotels, and some very, very shady motels,” he said.

“I was also advised by a member at our church to contact Hilton and inform them of my charity bicycle ride and ask if they would sponsor me. I stayed 15 nights at different Hampton/Hilton properties in which they either completely comped my room or gave me a substantial discount, which was very generous. I usually used them when I was desperate for a place to sleep because of horrible weather like major rainstorms, high winds, tornadoes in the area, or extreme heat.”

‘Horrible weather’ and bike problems

Mr. Roman did not exaggerate with his adjective for the weather he encountered.

“My trip was plagued with 27 days of rain and over 15 days of torrential downpour, which was so bad at times that my waterproof pannier bags leaked. Five of my six bags were wet or damp inside, and my maps and paperwork were mostly ruined,” he said. “I had days so windy that I was only able to ride at 4 mph. The weather started off horrible upon my arrival on May 14 in Portland, Maine, where it rained for three consecutive days all the way up to Vermont. I later learned that the only thing that was predictable was the unpredictable weather throughout our country.”

His conveyance also posed an obstacle at times.

“My bike charity ride was a challenge with bike issues from broken spokes, flat tires, crank bearings going out, wheel hub issues, chains stretching, brake cable issues, breaking a shifting cable, and breaking my seat. This occurred when I lifted my bike to move it by lifting under my seat; evidently my bike was way too heavy and snapped the support bracket of my seat,” Mr. Roman said.

“I had major issues with horrible weather and bad maps taking me on roads that were for hiking and snowmobiles. I later learned this while talking to a local ranger who informed me to use vehicle maps instead of maps for cycling. He said they get more 911 calls from bikers and motorcyclists who are directed by the maps to take alternate routes to stay away from traffic, which takes you on horrible trails with 20 percent grades, mud, soft sand, thick dirt, and rocks the size of basketballs, which break parts on motorcycles and bicycles and cause them to be disabled. I also later verified these issues with numerous other cyclists, police departments, and park rangers. I definitely learned a lesson to change my route directions.”

One weather-related detour led him down America’s most famous highway.

“At one point during my ride, going through Missouri, I was informed by the local fire department to head south down Route 66 because of the tornadoes in the area I was cycling and heading to. They said I should probably hunker down for one to three days,” Mr. Roman said. “The weather was an issue throughout my whole ride. At one point, I hit the four H’s, which are headwinds, hills, heat, and humidity. This occurred over and over and over throughout Kentucky, Missouri, and Kansas.”

Friends along the way

But Someone was watching out for him from above, not to mention his loved ones who followed his progress.

“Even with all the issues on my bike and the weather, I was blessed by so many family and friends who constantly texted me, called me, and e-mailed me that they were praying for me—from the Divine Mercy chaplet and the rosary to daily prayers,” Mr. Roman said. “This occurred so often I could hardly respond back to my family and friends. This also occurred with the dozens and dozens and dozens of individuals I met along the way. So often I was very frustrated with all my bike issues and the horrible weather, and each time an individual came into my life almost immediately.

“I have no doubt God was teaching me to be patient and ‘trust in Him.’ This occurred so many times in so many different ways that it could only be of God. Being a believer and a practicing Catholic, I was in awe. God really took control of everything.”

With a “feels like” temperature in the triple digits at one point on his trip, Mr. Roman received some welcome assistance.

“One day while cycling through Missouri and the heat index was 101 degrees, I was out of water and stopped on the side of the road when a vehicle pulled up. A husband and his wife asked me if I needed anything, as I desperately needed some water. They gave me a few ice-cold bottles of water, and we talked about our faith and my ride,” he said.

Another friendly soul helped him before his cross-country journey even began.

“On my training ride out in the back hills of Tennessee in early May—an 80-mile ride—I was flagged down by an individual who most certainly wasn’t wealthy. He stopped in the road and yelled, ‘Sir, sir! I saw you miles back and it looked like you were struggling,’” Mr. Roman recalled. “He then gave me a sausage egg muffin he had bought from a store a few miles away. This young man was about 25-30, in an older vehicle like a 1995 two-door sedan. He was missing three fingers and slightly unkempt, but he had the biggest smile I’ve ever seen. He told me he just wanted to help me and drove off. His name was John. I’ll always remember his face.”

Major weather issues plagued Mr. Roman less than a month into his ride.

“The day I left our son’s home on June 9 from Lexington, Ky., it poured for six hours straight. I was freezing and wet as ever. It was a horrible day. I was bummed because I had just left our grandkids and my wife, who had driven up to see me,” he said. “Hundreds of cars drove past me at high speeds, sending dirty, muddy water all over me. There was so much rainfall that the gutters were literally three, four, and five inches deep as I pedaled through them, stopping at traffic lights with rainwater gushing up to my ankles. I shivered all day and had no rain gear from the waist down.”

And that was just how the day started.

“About seven hours later, when the sun came out, I started sweating profusely. I pulled over and attached my rain jacket to the back of my bike. An hour later, upon arriving at a local hotel, I noticed my rain jacket had fallen off somewhere and was lost. I was in a terrible mood, and I knew that the rain was going to continue throughout the following day,” Mr. Roman said.

“I was wet, dirty, hungry, and in despair because all my bags had also leaked that day, and now I had no rain jacket to keep me dry and warm. Upon arriving at the hotel, I asked the clerk if they were willing to give me a discount for my charity Parkinson’s ride. The lady, Carol, said in a whisper that this hotel doesn’t do that, then she said she would take $20 off the bill. We started talking, and she took another $30 off the bill.

“She knew I had lost my rain jacket. She knew I was tired and hungry. She walked to the back room, came out, and gave me her rain jacket. I initially said no, that I would find a Walmart and purchase my own. She said there’s not a Walmart for 50 miles in any direction, and the storm tomorrow is going to be cold and extremely wet. She handed me her rain jacket and said, ‘Please take it. I have a car to drive; you have a bike and a charity ride to finish.’ I once again was in awe. She was like an angel, as I told her I should be giving her the jacket off my back.”

Mr. Roman saw the generosity of local residents earlier in his trip.

“When cycling through the bottom of Vermont, I went to a town called Bellows Falls. It was hot and humid. I went to rest, eat, and go over my maps in a local ice cream restaurant. I was 20 miles off course and away from my location,” he said. “The young waitress, about 22 years old, served me. We had a basic conversation. I told her I was riding across the country. When I went to pay my bill, she had paid for my meal. She and the other waitress started asking me questions. I told them I was riding for Parkinson’s. They got very excited and wanted pictures with me, as I did, too.

“I thanked them for buying my lunch. I asked them if I could post a picture on Facebook. Both of the young waitresses said yes and wanted to post my Parkinson’s charity ride on their Facebook page. A few hours later, they sent me the article they wrote, and I received seven different donations on my Parkinson’s GoFundMe page, along with a lot of encouragement from them and the people in their town.

“These two young girls, about 22 years old, were so kind and generous, and obviously they don’t make much money, yet they went out of their way to buy me lunch and donate to my Parkinson’s charity. I’ll never forget these two young girls.”

A potentially lonely spot in Wyoming led to Mr. Roman finding another friend.

“I was in need of a place to sleep because there were no hotels or campgrounds. I contacted Jeffrey from Warmshowers in southeast Wyoming. He said he could host me but wouldn’t be home until midnight. I arrived at his place, and he had his nephew let me in,” he said. “The following day I met him, and we went out for coffee. We spoke for about an hour and a half to two hours. He was a cyclist, too, and extremely nice and generous. His friends couldn’t believe he let a stranger into his house when he wasn’t home, but he told them, ‘Hey, the guy’s cycling across the country for Parkinson’s. He can’t be that bad.’ Jeffrey and I really hit it off.

“That day I was cycling to Medicine Bow, Wyo., about 60 miles away, and then on to Rawlins, Wyo. About halfway, my crank on my bike started clicking and seized up. I was able to contact the bike shop in Rawlins, about 100 miles away. The bike mechanic had me do some tests and basically confirmed the bearings were going out or seized up, as I could see part of them coming out of my crank itself. I was able to gently ride about 30 miles to Medicine Bow, where I stopped and got a hotel room. There was no way my bike was going to make it another 40 miles, and I needed to stay on schedule.

“Jeffrey texted me and asked how my ride was going. I told him about my crank issue. He immediately said that he was going to be driving toward Rawlins to meet his cousin and go camping. Jeffrey said he would pick me up. He went about 100 miles out of his way, immediately came and picked me up, and drove me to Rawlins to get my bike fixed. Jeffrey stated that he was delayed about three hours because of packing issues, and if he had left on time, he would have been 100 miles past me. Jeffrey was so kind to drive so far out of his way and delay his trip for hours upon hours to come and rescue me and get me to the proper place to help get my bike fixed—this being a man whom I had just met and who had let me stay at his home the previous night.”

Mr. Roman said he has “a dozen more stories of people helping me—from family and friends, from my wife helping me in Kentucky, my sister and her husband getting me bike parts in Sacramento and driving them 950 miles to Rawlins, Wyo., to have my bike fixed and keep me on my schedule, from family and friends who have sent me money to pay for hotel rooms and campsites (sponsoring me), to friends who drove up from San Diego to meet with me and buy me dinner in Wyoming or in Nevada, my brother-in-law who stayed behind me for three days on Highway 50 to keep cars from running into me where there’s no shoulder and to carry extra water for me because there’s no service for 80-plus miles, along with 107 people who have donated to this charity so far, along with the hundreds of text messages and e-mails I’ve gotten from family, friends, and individuals I’ve met along the route to encourage me and thank me for this charity ride.”

That group includes “a cyclist I met at a coffee shop in Kansas. We spoke for about an hour. We exchanged numbers, and he later donated $100,” Mr. Roman said.

How to help

Mr. Roman’s ride has raised more than $16,000. His total distance was 5,003 miles.

“I climbed 170,836 feet in 71 days of cycling, an average of 70 miles per day,” he said. “My longest ride was 120 miles in one day. The most I climbed in one day was 7,736 feet.”

To donate to Mr. Roman’s GoFundMe and the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s research, in honor of Roger Roman, visit gofund.me/622eee61d. The site has more information on Roger Roman.

A Catholic radio host also served as inspiration for Dan Roman.

“I listened to Relevant Radio daily. The Patrick Madrid Show has a saying about ‘keep going, keep going,’” he said. “I started hearing this in April while on my training rides. That was a major motivation for me on hard, tough days. I listened to his show daily, and I love the ‘keep going’ part. As my dad would never quit or give up, neither would I. I would say I’m stubborn—the more stuff that happens to slow me down or gets in my way, the more determined I am.

“I will honestly say God definitely took control, put so many people in my life, and taught me so much—patience, resilience, and trust in Him and in His people. I am definitely a different person. Thank you to everyone who supported me, prayed for me, encouraged me, pushed me, helped me, believed in me, and taught me that there is so much love for strangers.”