Daniel Van Dongen on left & Issac Reyes on the right. Issac raised $6876 and Daniel raised $5475. Overall their team broke Texas 4000 record for fundraising with over 720,000 dollars for cancer research. Damiel Van Dongen
The Texas 4000 is a 70 day cycling trek that travels three routes from Austin, Texas to Anchorage, Alaska. The Texas 4000 summer ride is the longest annual charity bike ride in the world. Starting together in Austin on Day Zero, the team splits on Day Two into Sierra, Rockies, and Ozarks routes and later reunites in Canada to ride the last nine days together into Anchorage. Each rider logs more than 4,000 riding miles throughout the course of the ride.
The riders arrange all accommodations in advance during the training year. They rely on the generosity of host families, churches, and schools for shelter and are prepared to camp when housing is not available. Riders provide their own “SAG” support, rotating through the duties of driving the support vehicles, setting up rest stops, securing food donations, and preparing meals that are not provided.
Issac Reyes, Zeta Theta Chapter (Texas-Austin), was archon his senior year and took on the responsibility of Fitness and Safety Chair for the Texas 4000 and Daniel Van Dongen, Epsilon Alpha Chapter alumnus (Elon) and past Pi Alpha – Transamerica 2006 completed the journey that spanned North America from Austin Texas to Anchorage Alaska.
Issac rode on the “Sierra” route and Daniel on the “Ozarks” route. In 2006, Daniel had crossed paths with the Texas 4000 “Rockies” route in Shoshoni, Wyoming while participating in Journey of Hope. He now has completed both. Both brothers had to fundraise in order to do this event, much like Journey of Hope. Daniel raised $5,475 and Issac raised $6,876. Overall, the team broke Texas 4000’s record for fundraising over $720,000 for cancer research. To find out more about the Texas 4000 event click here!