My main motivation for riding is in honor of my best friend's father, David. Despite the lack of blood relation, he and his family took me in as their own, and I am forever indebted for their never ending love. David fought leukemia while we were in high school, and we lost him too soon in August of 2019. To this day, I still don't know what the last thing I said to him was. Knowing him, I'm sure that he at least made me laugh during that encounter.

This ride is my best bet for parting words to him. I am sure he is up there, eating stuffed olives and insisting that none of this is necessary. But when someone so effortlessly moved mountains for you and everyone around you, biking up the country in their honor kind of pales in comparison to all the things they have done on your behalf. I am trying nonetheless.

I also intend on riding for those who do not have a voice during this trek to the Final Frontier. Not only in memoriam of whom we may have already lost, but also to honor those who do not have any possible connection to Texas 4000 or UT Austin at large. Perhaps they decided to hold off on college to save up on chemotherapy for their mother. Or the emotional toll was affecting their capability to study. Or, they are an Aggie. Whatever the reason may be, the ones we ride for should not end at the realm of the University of Texas. Everyone involved in the fight against cancer deserves a voice and deserves to be accounted for.