Ridgewood Man To Bike Across U.S. For Charity

RIDGEWOOD, NJ — Daniel Ahn is not one to give up on a dream.

In his eighth grade yearbook, Ahn said his future plan was to bike across the United States. In a few months, that dream will come true.

Ahn will bike from Virginia to Oregon on the TransAmerica cycling route to raise $50,000 for World Bicycle Relief. The nonprofit provides bicycles to health care workers, students and enterneupers in Africa.

Ahn, 24, quit his job as a recruiter last year and decided he wanted to do more to help people.

"There's this expectation that I had, that society has, that you have to go out, get a career, start a family and buy a house. And that's great for people," Ahn said. "But I wanted to explore the idea of going cross country, but was never serious about. Then I decided to let go of that expectation and go off-script."

Ahn backpacked in South America from June to December last year. Along the way he met people like him, people who went "off-script" and embraced a different lifestyle. He also spent time helping others along the way.

Ahn will is slated to begin his cross-country in April. He said he will rough it and sleep in his tent and "depend on the kindness of strangers for a hot shower."

Ahn figures he will have to average between 75 and 100 miles a day to complete the trip in the two months he is planning on it taking. During the tip, Ahn will post on his Instagram page and his blog.

"I hope the trip inspires other people to make a difference in the world and to show them that you can do the things you have always wanted to do," Ahn said.

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Photo: Daniel Ahn and his bicycle. Courtesy of Daniel Ahn