My name is Michael Mayberry, an 18 year old who just graduated high school in Columbus, Ohio. I decided to take a year off before going to college, and--after much deliberation--I realized that I wanted to embark on a journey across America on bicycle. The catalyst for this journey was the tragic death of my friend, teammate, and classmate, Nick Trebonik, who fell victim to suicide on March 10, 2012. This tragedy shocked my community and ripped holes in a lot of hearts, and now that I have some time off I'd like to help ensure that tragedies like this do not continue to happen. I am embarking on my bicycle journey in order to raise funds for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. I plan to leave Columbus, Ohio on September 24th, and bike down to Alabama, then bike over to San Diego from there. I will use the Adventure Cycling Association's maps. Once I get to San Diego I will buy a one way ticket back to Columbus. I will call this journey "Pedal For Purpose."

If you or a loved one has ever felt the pain of suicide, depression, and/or other mental illness, please help support this cause by donating.

Here's a news video about the journey: http://www.10tv.com/content/sections/video/index.html

Thank you very much,
Michael