Eleven women braved a month-long endurance challenge to raise awareness for special-needs children.<\/p>\n
The women bicycled 1,500 miles through nine states and over two dozen cities, pedaling through sweltering summer afternoons and drenching rains for the first-ever women’s Bike 4 Friendship. Men’s cross-country Bike 4 Friendship trips were held in 2011 and 2012, and a third is currently underway.<\/p>\n
The events are organized by The Friendship Circle, a Jewish organization for special-needs children and families with 79 locations around the world. <\/p>\n
The cyclists set out on June 30, 2013, from Friendship Circle of Miami in Pinecrest, Fla. At 10 a.m., Pinecrest mayor Cindy Lerner cut the starting-line ribbon, and the cyclists began their journey. Lerner also issued a proclamation naming June 30 \u201cBike 4 Friendship Day.\u201d<\/p>\n
Before the cyclists set foot to pedal, the event had already raised $100,000. The trip was scheduled to end on July 28 in Manhattan’s Upper West Side.<\/p>\n