Photo Credit: Adrian Scarbrough
We love cross-country drives. There’s no better way to really see the U.S. than from ground level. But we have to admit that Alex Flynn’s Trans America Challenge is a bit more impressive than your average road trip.
Flynn’s plan is to travel more than 3,500 miles across the U.S., raising awareness and funds for Parkinson’s research. His trek —which starts September 5th in Santa Monica, CA and is planned to end October 4th at the Statue of Liberty in New York City—will not just be in a car. That would be too easy. Flynn, a trained athlete diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease, plans to cycle, kayak, and swim the route. Along the way, the UK native will challenge himself by climbing Mount Whitney, running 135 miles across Death Valley, cycling to Chicago, kayaking across Lake Erie, and swimming across the Hudson River to the finish line.
We’re supporting his efforts by contributing a pair of 2012 Volkswagen Touareg SUVs. Each vehicle offers 32.1 cubic feet of cargo space and will transport Flynn’s crew, supplies, and equipment, including a kayak, bike, and more.
From our partnership with Bikes Belong to our sponsorships of ultra-marathoner Dean Karnazes, super-cyclist Tim Johnson, and the Sea Otter Classic, Volkswagen has a long history of supporting athletes. We’re proud to add Alex Flynn’s name to that list, and we wish him well on his journey. He’ll be sharing his experiences along the way, posting regular updates on his website, and you can also follow him Twitter at AlexFlynn01. Trust us: that will be a lot easier than trying to keep up with him in person.