Eighty-three days. A total of 2,917 miles. On rollerblades, no less. It’s no wonder the two young men wearing the bright orange safety vests and helmets were yelling with exhilaration as they skated the final hundred yards of the bike path bordering the San Diego River flood control channel to its termination at Ocean Beach‘s Dog Beach. A crowd of news media, family members and supporters held balloons and cheered as the pair arrived at 2:04 p.m. on a breezy, sun-drenched day April 24 amid romping pooches and their gawking owners. Called “In Motion For a Million,” co-founders Steve Feigenbaum and Dan Bowen hope to raise $1 million to increase awareness, fund research and develop cures for two diseases that have profoundly affected their lives. For Feigenbaum, 30, it’s Huntington’s Disease, an incurable brain disorder that took the life of his Aunt Brenda five years ago. Because it is a hereditary disease, Steve’s two cousins have a 50 percent chance of being affected by the disorder. “I’m skating for anyone who has Huntington’s and all those who are at risk,” he said. And Bowen, now 28, recalls losing his mother to Hodgkin Lymphoma when he was only five years old. “I still remember the courage she exhibited. No family should have to deal with this disease,” he said. Donations to date total “$10,000 to $15,000,” Feigenbaum said, leaving much still to be raised. Their cross-country mission was developed over an 18-month period. Phil Repaci, a retired New York City police officer, was enlisted as their tour manager, and on Feb. 1 the determined duo took their first strides from the Atlantic shore in St. Augustine, Fla. while Repaci, in a fully-equipped 40-foot motor home, communicated by radio with the pair. Their journey, done in 13-hour daily sessions, provided a wide range of experiences as they bladed through towns and rural areas, over various types of surfaces, through all types of traffic and weather. Rougher terrain destroyed sets of wheels in as little as 300 miles, while “we got over 1,000 miles out of a set on smoother roads,” Bowen noted. Unpredictable weather also proved challenging. Bowen recalled an 82-degree day in Texas when “we thought it would be smooth sailing the rest of the way. The next day, it was 28 degrees, with hail, snow and a 35 miles per hour headwind,” he recalled. “And we still made 26 miles that day.” Both Feigenbaum and Bowen identified “the American people” as the highlight of their marathon. “They were our teammates, hospitable with their time, their services and money,” Feigenbaum said. “We were invited into people’s homes and ate at their dinner tables. They even did our laundry,” Repaci added. He also singled out law enforcement personnel and big-rig truckers as “incredible” in checking on the group’s safety and making sure cars kept a safe distance when it was necessary to skate (where legal) on interstate highways. The trio were allowed to park their motor home on city streets and motel and shopping center parking lots in addition to campgrounds and rest areas when needed. During their time in San Diego, the trio planned to relax before taking part in two Huntington’s Disease fundraisers: a golf tournament and concert, both in Chula Vista. And how will they be getting home? “We’re definitely going to fly!” Feigenbaum said with a chuckle.
