By MARALINE KUBIK

By MARALINE KUBIK
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
COITSVILLE -- Rob Byers' grandmother died from breast cancer years before he was born, when his dad was in college.
Nevertheless, he felt the loss because it affected the rest of his dad's life and, in turn, the way he was brought up.
More recently, Byers' uncle was diagnosed with prostate cancer.
The disease has hit home twice, and Byers said he was compelled to do something about it. So, after completing his master's degree in audio engineering at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, the Newport News, Va., native joined 24 other college students in a 4,000-mile cross-country bicycling expedition that will raise $60,000 for the American Cancer Society's Hope Lodge, a temporary residence for cancer patients undergoing treatment and their families.
The band of cyclists left Baltimore on Saturday and arrived at Coitsville Presbyterian Church Wednesday evening in time for a potluck dinner prepared by church members.
For the second year in a row, the church has opened its doors to the cyclists, offering them a place to sleep, dinner, breakfast the next morning, and plenty of leftovers to help them on their next day's ride.
The group travels between 60 and 110 miles a day, depending on planned activities and the distance between communities where organizations have agreed to feed and house them, usually churches, schools and YMCAs, Byers said.
Special stops
"We do community service events along the way," he added. So, some days the group divides its time between cycling and making presentations, visiting cancer care centers and hospices, and spending time with young people.
The group spent part of Tuesday talking about bicycle safety with a Special Olympics cycling team, Byers said, and with children in an emergency shelter.
The trip from Baltimore to San Francisco is mapped out in advance, with no room for diversion.
"That's how I know we'll be in San Francisco Aug. 1," he said.
The trip is planned and coordinated by participants, who are each required to raise $3,000 in donations. Although donations are not solicited along the journey, they are accepted, Byers added.
This is the third year for the Hopkins 4k for Cancer cross-country cycling fund-raiser, which was started by Leah Blom and Ryan Hanley, two Johns Hopkins students who dreamed of cycling cross-country, raising funds to fight cancer.
Hanley's father died from cancer in 1995.
Thus far, the annual events have collectively raised more than $100,000 for cancer research.
In 2002, Hopkins 4k for Cancer was named the American Cancer Society's special event of the year. It received the Outstanding Youths Philanthropy Award from the Association of Fundraising Professionals last year.
For more information or to make a donation, log on to hopkins4k.org.
kubik@vindy.com