Miles 4 Melanoma

The following article about the Coast-to-Coast bicycle tour appeared in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/04153/324667.stm

By Virginia Linn, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

A Mount Washington software developer is preparing for the ride of his life in memory of his father, who died of skin cancer.

Kevin Madzia, 39, is embarking on a 4,200 mile cross-country bike trip — from Everett, Wash. on June 20 to Gloucester, Mass., on Aug. 21 — to raise money for the Melanoma Research Foundation to battle the disease that took his father’s life.

George Madzia, 62, who operated a service station and still lived in Kevin’s hometown of Adena, Ohio, died in November 2002 after several recurrences of the aggressive cancer.

Although the younger Madzia has participated five times in the MS 150-miler from Cranberry to Lake Erie in Conneaut, Ohio, he’s never ridden across the country.

The trek is sponsored by Cycle America and will include 40 to 50 participants each riding for their own charity. The group plans to cover 75 miles a day and have one rest day a week. He’s training 200 miles a week on his Mongoose Bosberg road racing bike.

Madzia is hoping to raise $10,000 for the charity. Anyone wishing to donate can send checks to The Melanoma Research Foundation, 24 Old Georgetown Road, Princeton, N.J. 08540. Write “Miles for Melanoma — Kevin Madzia” in the subject line.

You can read more about Madzia and his trip at miles4melanoma.com.

Photo by Matt Freed/Post-Gazette

First published on June 1, 2004 at 12:00 am

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