It has been almost a full year since former M.S. 67 teacher Lon Blais ventured out on his cross-country bike ride for Alzheimer’s — and now he’s back for round two.
Blais, a long-time Bayside resident, embarked on his “Lest We Forget” tour last year on August 31 in memory of his father, Bob, who passed away in 2006 from Alzheimer’s.
After a journey of 2,974 miles, the tired and home-sick trekker made it back to the Santa Monica Pier in one piece on October 11. This year, he wants to take it a little slower and easier — banking on biking 65 to 70 miles a day to complete 2,200 miles.
“Having sore muscles all the time and sitting on the bike seat constantly is the hardest part about the trip,” said Blais, who will begin his next journey on October 11 in Lubec, Maine. “You just have to face it that you’re going to be raw and sore all the time, but you have to keep going.”
The 51-year-old took up competitive biking when he hit the half-century milestone to simply get in shape and start living a healthier and more productive lifestyle.
“When I turned 50, I decided to name that year, ‘My Spectacular Year,’ in which I would do all the things that I ever dreamed of doing,” he said. “It was kind of like a bucket list, but I wasn’t going to die.”
He was sick of telling people about what he wished he could do, and decided to live the life he had always dreamed about.
This new 40-day journey will take Blais all over the country, until he reaches his final destination in Key West, FL.
Joanna, his wife, who doesn’t see eye-to-eye with his plan to leave for over a month, but understands his motivation, will escort him by car from Savannah, GA to Key West. She will be there for him with food, drinks, a first-aid kit, and a spare bike in case his breaks down.
“It’s not her cup of tea, but she supports me in whatever I do,” said Blais.
These two monstrous treks have been dedicated to his father — a man whom he said he never really knew as a child, but got acquainted with as he was getting married to Joanna in 1986.
“I think if my father could see me now, he would say ‘stop making noise and do what you have to do,’” he said. “But the publicity part of this event is only necessary to get me going and to raise awareness for the cause.”
Blais, at six feet tall, has been training for the event about six times a week, riding his bike almost every day and increasing his mileage every time he trains.
“In essence, I’ve been training for this bike ride since my last one,” said Blais, who turned vegan about eight weeks ago to get in shape and also to bypass the processing of food.
His second tour of the country cannot be done alone.
With the help of others, Blais has had donations from money to supplies to even a hotel room to sleep in during the trip.
But he still has a ways to go, and donations are still being accepted in any form. Blais even mustered up enough courage to walk into a motorcycle bar in his biking attire, which is more or less made up of straight spandex, and came out with a helmet full of donations.
“I am stunned by the number of people who are willing to help …friends of friends whom I have never even met,” he said.
For more information or to contribute to Blais’ journey, email him lonblais@mac.com or visit his blog at https://myspectaqlaryr.livejournal.com/.
