Fayette resident and long-time community member Dr. Wade Welton is spending his summer achieving a monumental life goal – cycling across the U.S.
Dr. Welton is an avid cyclist and enjoys the trails and highways around Howard County. One of his annual interests is participating in Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa, a week-long ride across Iowa each July. This year, Welton has scaled up his plan, cycling nationwide.
Dr. Welton and his cycling group departed from Santa Monica Pier in California early on June 21. A month later, Welton and his team are making their way through Missouri, having recently reached the halfway point.
The trip is not for the faint of heart. Welton and his cycling group wake up before first light each day and ride anywhere from 40-90 miles. While the weather thus far has been generous, traversing elevation through the southwest and temperatures rising into the 90s (and at times exceeding 115 degrees) provide daily challenges. Getting enough to eat is essential, as the average calories burned cycling each day exceeds 3,500.