This summer, Connor VanOrdon ’24 went cliff diving in Idaho, ate brisket in Kansas and climbed Mount Ranier in Washington State.
Despite all the beauty and adventure he encountered on his cross-country cycling trip with Journey of Hope, he said that seeing the Blue Ridge Mountains again was the best feeling of all.
"I've been looking forward to this stop since Seattle," he said. "It's just awesome to be back. Feels like home."
VanOrden is actually a native of Gloucester, Virginia, but he spent four years at Roanoke College in Salem before graduating in May with a degree in health and exercise science. He hopes to attend nursing school in Raleigh, North Carolina — but first, he flew to Seattle to embark on the 3,000-mile ride. “Something just told me to do it,” he said.
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Journey of Hope is a program through The Ability Experience, a philanthropic initiative of Pi Kappa Phi fraternity. Every summer, 100 brothers from chapters around the nation cycle across the country on three different routes, pedaling a combined 12,000 miles across 32 states. Along the way, they stop in communities to visit with disabled residents and spread a message of acceptance and understanding.
On Sunday, Aug. 3, VanOrden and his fellow cyclists conducted one of those friendship visits at Longwood Park in Salem, where they ate lunch and socialized with members of the Down Syndrome Association of Roanoke. During interviews with local media at the park, VanOrden said those friendship visits were one of the most meaningful parts of the summer.
"I think some of the people I've met have touched me more than we touched them," he said.
Members of the local Roanoke Valley media interview VanOrden (left) about Journey of Hope.
The ride itself has also been character-building. Each day, they covered between 40 and 130 miles, with 75-80 miles being the daily average. That included an eight-hour climb up and over Mount Ranier, cycling through sleet and freezing rain in Montana, and withstanding broiling summer heat in the midwest and east. As arduous as that sounds, VanOrden said, the hardest days were the most rewarding.
"My legs hurt," he said with a laugh. However, he added, "I have never felt more alive than I have during this trip."
Along the way, he and his fellow cyclists forged an indelible bond. "Those first couple of weeks were just motivating each other through the trip," he said. Pi Kappa Phi brothers who complete the ride are welcomed into the Pi Alpha Society.
Zach Brown, a spokesperson for The Ability Experience, said VanOrden's group has raised close to $200,000 while the entire Journey of Hope effort may end up raising closer to $400,000. VanOrden himself raised more than $10,000 for the cause, and he is still accepting donations.
After Salem, the cyclists headed for Washington, D.C., for the grand finale of their ride. But before mounting his bike for the final leg, VanOrden had one more stop to make in Salem.
"I just want a calzone from Mac 'n' Bob's," he said.
DONATE TO THE CAUSE: Visit Connor's fundraising page
Jessica Price (left), vice president of the Down Syndrome Association of Roanoke, chats with Journey of Hope cyclists at a friendship visit at Longwood Park in Salem on Aug. 3.