Raises money for charity
By: Ken Weingartner
ALLENTOWN – Michael Franken enjoys riding his bike. The fact he can assist others while having fun makes it more gratifying.
The 17-year-old Waker Avenue resident today was scheduled to complete the longest bicycle journey of his young life. Michael participated in a 404-mile charity ride for Harbor House in Toms River.
In the process, he raised in excess of $1,650 for Harbor House, a short-term crisis intervention center designed to serve youngsters ages 10-17 who are in need of safe shelter, advocacy, and counseling services. The primary target population is youth who have run away, are homeless, or have been abused, neglected or abandoned.
"I figured I’d be able to help out kids my own age if I raised money for them with this ride," Michael said before leaving on his journey. "Just to be able to go out and ride my bike and help kids who are less fortunate is going to be one of my better accomplishments."
The 404-mile trip started Sunday in Toms River, extended south to Ocean City, Md., and looped back to Toms River, where it was scheduled to end today. There were approximately 60 riders participating in the event.
Michael said riders would go 99 miles the first day of the trip, and 92 miles on the final day. The remaining three days, the participants were scheduled to average 71 miles per day.
"This is the biggest event I’ve done," said Michael, who recently completed his junior year at Allentown High School. "The most I’ve biked in one day is 105 miles. It’s pretty fun riding, just to see new things. You get to go by at a nice pace, you’re not going by things quickly."
Michael is no stranger to charity bike events. Over the past three years, he has raised more than $3,000 for Project Freedom in Robbinsville. The organization provides housing and support services to empower people with disabilities to live independently.
He also is a member of the Princeton Free Wheelers bike club. He rides an average of 100-150 miles a week.
"It’s pretty OK," Michael said about riding long distances. "If it’s windy, it’s kind of a hassle. Unless it’s a tailwind. Then it’s a good ride."
Michael started road biking about four years ago. He had played in recreation soccer programs, but an asthmatic condition made it difficult for him to run. He has not experienced problems biking, however.
"It’s actually improved my asthma condition," he said. "It’s pretty much gone away. It’s expanded my lung capacity and I have more energy. I’ve noticed that I’m able to breathe easier."
He will need plenty of energy for his next endeavor. In August, Michael plans to participate in the 27th annual Mount Washington Bicycle Hillclimb in New Hampshire.
With an elevation of 6,288 feet, Mount Washington is known as the Northeast’s highest peak, and "home of the world’s worst weather." Mount Washington is in the path of major storm tracks that produce on the summit the most severe weather conditions known outside polar regions.
Icing at the summit, wind and other types of weather have affected many Bicycle Hillclimbs in the past. In 1993, the race was delayed to allow temperatures at the summit to warm up and severe weather conditions caused cancellation of the 1994 and 1995 races.
"It’s going to be a different experience," Michael said about the 7.6-mile ride. "Hopefully, I’ll get it done in under two hours.
"This is just something that when I go to college I’ll have bragging rights to," he added with a laugh. "It will be one of my only claims to fame."
After graduating from high school next year, Michael would like to bike across the country in a charity event for the American Lung Association. The two-month ride begins in Seattle and ends in Washington, D.C.
"It’s pretty fun riding," said Michael, who figures by the end of the summer to have logged 5,000 miles since he started riding four years ago. "Just to see new things at a nice pace. It’s not like you’re going by quickly in a car. It’s fun."