Charity Cyclist Visits USD’s Campus

This past week, Ex-Royal Navy Submariner George Barks paid a visit to a University of South Dakota classroom to promote a Charity Cycle Across the USA to Build Futures Ghana. Barks is attempting to ride his bike across as many U.S. states as possible with the aim of raising awareness and donations to help remote villages in Ghana get access to clean water. This ride

hopes to raise 15,000 British Pounds for this cause.

 Already more than 30 days in and 2,200 miles biked, about half of the planned route has been finished. The ride began in Georgia and has covered many different states, allowing moments to properly experience the various cultures and people along the way. This ride is planned to last until November 12th, concluding in New York City.

In his visit, Barks recalled some of the most unique and challenging aspects of the trip, including bike upkeep, as it is the only means of transportation. A tire pump, replacement chains, a wheel brush, a tire remover, and grease are just some of the tools needed to have a bike withstand various conditions.

Instead of relying on motels, most nights Barks has spent camped out under the stars. Another thing to consider was the presence of wildlife, as the dense city of London lacks the space to host animals like bears and skunks, unlike most wildernesses found in the US. 

Highlights of the trip include bracing the intense heat and hilly areas of Wyoming, riding up McKenzie Mountain in the state of New York, and riding the Badlands Loop in South Dakota.

Barks disclaimed that before this trip, he was not an avid cyclist. “The only preparation he conducted was riding through the streets of London, which only allowed him to go a maximum of 7mph.” Despite this lack of intense preparation, they were determined to do this ride not only to see more of the world, but to do good while doing it.

When asked what advice he would give to someone with similar aspirations, he had this to say.

“Follow your heart! Test yourself and your idea because if you don’t, you’ll never know if it will work or not.”

For more information about the charity work, you can go to the GoFundMe page “Charity Cycle Across USA to Build Futures Ghana”. You can also go to @georgebarks on Instagram to see videos of the ride so far.