Bellmore Man Bikes More Than 6,000 Miles Raising Money For Cancer

NORTH BELLMORE, NY — A North Bellmore man just did an "amazing race" for charity.

Ian Randman, whose cousin died a few years ago from a rare form of cancer, chose to honor him with a bike ride. Randman would face all types of weather and terrain in cycling more than 6,000 miles.

He chose to start his journey in Key West, the southernmost point in the U.S. Randman concluded weeks later in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, the northernmost spot in the U.S.

Randman, an alum of Mepham High School and a recent college graduate, is raising money for Tackle Kids Cancer charity and has more donation details on his website.

Randman was inspired by a friend, and former Mepham student, who did the wild ride in 2019.

"I thought about coast to coast, New York to California, but that's only like half the distance," Randman, a guest on "Patch AM," said, from Fairbanks, Alaska.

He saw many donations pop up as the excursion began in the southern states.

"There was a bit of a lull toward the second half of my trip," he said. "I wasn't encountering as many people in the desert of Wyoming."

It took Randman more than three months to complete the trek to Alaska, but it was a leisurely pace, taking three weeks to see his grandparents. He also put the brakes on the bike for a week in Denver and with other rest stops along the way, Randman estimates, "I've not biked a total of five weeks."

That equates to approximately 80 days of actual bike time.

"I met a lot of really nice people," Randman said. "More than I would have expected."

Drilling down to the most hospitable region, Randman said, were people in the South.

"They gave me a warm welcome."

Despite the once-in-a-lifetime travelogue experience, it will be just that for Randman.

"I've got to go get myself a job after this," he said.