Into the Wild
Tuttle
Local biker plans to ride 4,000 miles for charity
“You realize you’re going to miss the new season of Entourage and the World Cup?!” I said to Cody Tuttle last Wednesday at the Westin. The tall, shaggy 23 year old responded, “Yeah I’m going to miss a whole season of climbing in Yosemite too!”
But for Tuttle, the act of missing some climbing and a couple of television shows is a small sacrifice for the ambitious Mammoth local. On July 8, Tuttle will pack his bags and his road bike and fly to Anchorage, Alaska to begin a 4,000-mile trip to Ensenada, Mexico. Though Tuttle is looking forward to the experience, the purpose of the trip is to raise donations for two non-profit organizations that benefit children. One being Invisible Children, an organization that benefits displaced children in Uganda and the other a Christian outfitting group here in Mammoth called The Station.
“I plan on taking a ton of photos and documenting as much as I can about the trip,” said Tuttle. “Aren’t you going to be bored? What are you going to listen on your iPod?,” I asked. “A buddy of mine backed out a couple days ago so yeah it might get a little lonely. I think I’ll probably have some Journey or maybe some Kansas in my headphones.”
In order to train for the 80 mile a day intervals, an average day over the past couple months for Tuttle has consisted of a daily ride from Main Lodge to Crowley Lake and back. “The longest ride I’ve ever done is probably around 150 miles, and I’ve been trying to do a 100 mile ride once a week. But they say your body just adjusts after the first couple days when you’re doing something like this.”
His family is going to have some adjusting to do as well, seeing as Tuttle is recently engaged to his longtime sweetheart Cherise Harder. “She’s really excited about it, and nervous. We’re getting married a month after I get back.”
“There’s a lot of social issues and problems going on across the border. Are you at all concerned for your safety while traveling through Canada?,” I asked. With a laugh Tuttle responded, “Well, my fiancée is Canadian so I think that part it will be fine. However, my mom is definitely concerned about the Mexico leg of it. I think God has a plan for me on this trip.”
A man of faith, Tuttle was deeply moved after seeing the documentary entitled Invisible Children, which is about the war stricken Sudanese children of northern Uganda, which as the film suggests, “the world has forgotten.” Tuttle urges people to, “give what you can even if it’s just a couple bucks a week.” It’s evident Tuttle is giving everything he’s got, “I’ve funded this trip 100 percent on my own because this is an important cause. If we don’t help these kids then who will?”
After all as Mr. Tuttle from the 1985 film Brazil suggests, “ We’re all in this together.”
For more information about the ride and how to donate check out Tuttle’s website at www.ridealaskatomexico.com
