For charity, duo proves its pedal mettle

By Harold Gwin

The Valley men are pedaling across the country for Akron Children’s Hospital of the Mahoning Valley.

YOUNGSTOWN — “It’s definitely intense — the storms and the wind — but it is definitely worth it,” said Scott Finamore as he rode his bicycle down an incline in the mountains just west of Denver.

Finamore, 23, of Poland, and Sam Malaska, 19, of Youngstown, are making a cross-country bicycle trek that originated in Youngstown on May 9 and is scheduled to end June 29 in San Francisco, a distance of some 3,000 miles.

“We’re just over halfway,” Finamore said, glancing down at his bicycle’s odometer, which registered 1,537 miles.

What started out as an adventure to visit a friend in California became a fund-raising effort on behalf of Akron Children’s Hospital of the Mahoning Valley.

The goal is to raise $15,000 for the hospital’s charity program that provides medical care for children whose families can’t afford it.

Finamore chose to make a cell-phone call to The Vindicator as he and Malaska began their descent from an elevation of 11,000 feet.

He was on a downhill grade passing 8,519 feet when he made the call.

“The elevation’s a killer,” he admitted, adding, “Everything we’ve done so far has been training for the mountains.”

And some of that first half of the route has been tough.

“We’re healthy, but you begin to feel it after cycling for 30 days,” Finamore said. “There’s times we don’t want to go anymore.”

But the thought of the kids and the charity they are helping keep them going, he said. Hearing from people who have been checking their www.califorkids.com Web site daily has been helpful, too. They are always encouraging, he said.

They’re towing a small trailer carrying a tent and other gear but have encountered some 40-degree, rainy days as well as lightning storms that forced them to stay in hotels. There was even a June snowstorm west of Denver that hit overnight while they were camping.

They’ve met other long-distance cyclists along the way, including one man in Nebraska “who looked like he was hauling a house behind him,” Malaska wrote in a Web site update of their trip. “Turns out, he was,” Malaska said, explaining that the rider had been on the road touring the country for five years.

The trip has been relatively trouble-free so far, Finamore said. There have been some bicycle malfunctions but nothing really serious.

“The fall ratio is 4 to 1,” he quipped, explaining that he’s taken four spills and Malaska has suffered only one.

He said he’s been most impressed by the people they’ve met along the way.

Strangers have bought them meals and even given them donations after learning the purpose of their trip, he said. They’ve been invited to set up camp in people’s yards and invited to church picnics and backyard barbecues.

“The people are absolutely incredible,” Finamore said.

Fundraising hasn’t gone as well as hoped.

They’ve raised only about $6,000 so far, but there is a chance they might be able to link with a charitable group that will match their donations, Finamore said.

They’ve also made it easier for people to show financial support, adding a Paypal connection to their Web site. The site also provides an opportunity for people to sponsor the ride — by the mile or by the day. Corporate sponsorships are also available.

Donations will be accepted until July 1. All donations should be made out to “Cali for Kids” and mailed to P.O. Box 14098, Poland, OH 44514.

gwin@vindy.com