85-Year Old Man Rides Bike From California to Lake Forest College

Harvey Cain has lived in California for the last half-century, but still has close ties to his birth town, Lake Forest and his alma mater, Lake Forest College.

So it only made sense for the 85-year-old retired doctor to make the journey from Sacramento to the alma mater as his most accomplished bicycle ride to date.

That’s right, an 85-year-old man riding his bike from California to the Chicago-area, mostly on the famous Route 66.

The Lake Forester tells the story of Cain, who rode his yellow bike through eight states, three time zones and the Mojave desert from July 23 to October 7. He capped it off by riding it in the College’s Homecoming parade the weekend after he returned.

“One of the first sites Harvey Cain sought out when he biked onto the campus of Lake Forest College on Oct. 7 was a commemorative brick he’d paid for outside the Mohr Student Center that reads “Harvey Cain ‘52.”,” according to the Lake Forester story.

Long-distance bike rides are nothing new to Cain, who had done several, including one from California to Georgia in 2008.

The Lake Forest College ride finally took place this year after half a decade of planning. Since Cain wanted to raise money for LFC scholarships during this ride and the administration at the school went through a series of changes, he ended up having to pitch the idea several times before it took off.

“We’ve been working with the college for five years to get this going,” Cain said. “My job was persistence.”

Everyday, Cain made it at least 17 miles, and sometimes up to 66.

The ride was a homecoming in the truest sense for Cain. He was born in the former Alice Home Hospital, which stood on the current campus of Lake Forest College.

more via the Lake Forester

Lake Forest College Photo: Harvey with students and staff at the College embarking on a quick ride from North Campus through uptown Lake Forest on Fridaymorning, October 9.