Couple Turn Ride Into Fundraiser: Utah pair cycle 3,634 miles in 87 days; raise about $23,000

A Utah couple celebrated four decades of marriage by cycling across the United States, completing an 87-day journey from Washington to New Jersey and raising approximately $23,000 for two community charities. According to Deseret News, Robert and Bliss Sawyer finished their coast-to-coast adventure in September 2026, turning a personal milestone into a fundraising effort for affordable housing and food assistance. Their journey, documented on their website, Hope Across the USA, was also covered by Utah broadcaster KSL ahead of their departure.The couple began their ride on June 20, their 40th wedding anniversary, in Bellingham, Washington, where they first met. Nearly three months later, on September 12, they reached Ocean City, New Jersey, bringing their long-distance cycling challenge to an end at the Atlantic coast. By then, they had covered 3,634 miles and climbed more than 96,000 feet in elevation, navigating mountain passes, changing weather and long stretches of unfamiliar roads.A journey driven by purposeThe Sawyers, who live in Saratoga Springs, Utah, named their initiative Hope Across the USA. Their goal was to combine an ambitious cycling challenge with support for two c...