Time to put the pedal to the metal

Marques Hunter

of the Gateway

Max Larkin and Emily Boardway’s story is extraordinary. They plan to bike more than 5,000 miles across multiple states.

Their cause heightens the feeling I have for them. My grandfather Pete Eckerman died of Alzheimers at the age of 72. I was 23 years old. He was the first one of my nuclear family I had come to love who died.

Dr. Hugh Larkin II, 59, currently lives in a residential facility for people with mental diseases. Max and Emily aren’t just riding for Dr. Hugh Larkin II, though. They are looking to reach people across the country who are dealing with the same situation.

That’s inspiring.

They’ve already ridden a couple months from Seattle to San Francisco — an amazing feat. But to go from Boston to Austin, Texas, well, that just blows my mind.

It seems awfully crazy to attempt a bicycle mission that spans both coasts of the United States. Let’s not forget they are tugging a combined cargo weight of 160 pounds through the Appalachian Mountains.

Listening to their story made me think about what lengths people go to express their love for one another. Dr. Hugh A. Larkin II is beloved by his family and friends. Max and Emily are demonstrating their compassion for those children directly affected by the disease by taking on this project.

This is an incredibly challenging endeavor with a pretty hefty price tag. What they need is help from our community and people abroad to chip in and help offset the cost.

Currently, the Spoke Your Mind project relies entirely on individual contributions, Broadway said. They received just enough from friends and family to make the first leg a success.

They are still looking for additional funds to make the second, a much longer trip, a reality.

The couple caught about 30 hours of footage in their first leg from Seattle to San Francisco. From interviews of random people to video caught while they were on the road, I’m interested to see how the documentary turns out.

Throughout the course from Boston to Austin, they will be posting videos and blogs from their journey at www.spokeyourmind.org. While navigating through a multitude of states along the East Coast, the couple said they will blog their experiences as much as possible.

They’ve already reached out to build a network of 50 people who are Children of those with Young Onset Dementia. I’m sure that, by the end of the trip, that number will climb.

Technology has played a pretty important role in telling their story. Through the Web site, they have established a forum for COYOD, where people can share their experiences.

Max and Emily are committed to finishing a mission that is centered around educating and spreading awareness about Young Onset Dementia.

Let’s all wish them the best of luck in their trip.