Project WanderSpire Plans to Mountain Bike 8,800 Miles to Benefit Stroke Victims

Arthur Thomas “Tom” Lillquist and Michael Dionne are planning quite the adventure for 2016: mountain biking the Colorado, Great Divide, and Arizona trails, plus others for a total of 8,800 miles of trail riding. The duo is dedicating their ride to helping the National Stroke Association by raising funds and awareness along the way. As they …
Arizona Trail. Photo: TMWJR777.
Arizona Trail. Photo: TMWJR777.

Arthur Thomas “Tom” Lillquist and Michael Dionne are planning quite the adventure for 2016: mountain biking the Colorado, Great Divide, and Arizona trails, plus others for a total of 8,800 miles of trail riding. The duo is dedicating their ride to helping the National Stroke Association by raising funds and awareness along the way. As they wander the USA on their mountain bikes, they hope to inspire others to recovery.

Tom has a very personal connection to the cause as just a few years ago he suffered a stroke in his spinal cord, leading to temporary seizures, chronic pain, and the diminished ability to use his arms and legs. After four years of therapy and recovery, Tom was able to through hike the Appalachian Trail, which is a huge feat in and of itself. Now he has his sights set on completing the bikepacking triple crown in 2016.

Tom "NineLives." Photo via Facebook.
Tom “NineLives.” Photo via Facebook.

The duo plans to take about 9 months to complete the trip, with stops at iconic trails like the Kingdom trails in Vermont, the Maah Daah Hey in North Dakota, and the Tahoe Rim trail in California. They’re currently working to raise about $19,000 for the trip via a GoFundMe campaign. If all goes well, the trip will kick off in Vermont in March next year.

Here’s to hoping Tom and Michael are successful and are able to inspire others through their journey!

Click here to learn more about the WanderSpire project and to donate to the trip.