Team 26 gathered in Newtown this morning, kicking off a 600-mile journey spreading peace, hope, and love and honoring all those affected by gun violence.
After leaving Newtown, the 26 cyclists made a pit stop at Ridgefield Bicycle Company where they were met with supporters, hot coffee, and Team 26 signature cupcakes courtesy of The Cake Box. At about 10:30, the cyclists departed Ridgefield with police escort.
Team 26 will ride first to Baltimore, stopping along the way in Peekskill, NY, Morristown and Trenton, NJ, Philadelphia, PA and Newark, DE. Then for the first time, they will head west through Gettysburg and Chambersburg Pennsylvania, traveling by Flight 93 National Memorial before ending on May 2 near the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh.
Follow the journey on Team 26 website here.
This year the cyclists are focusing on how faith communities are a significant resource for conversation and transformation - especially as sources of hope and peace.
You can follow the ride via social media and view photos and videos posted on Facebook at @SandyHookRideOn Washington. The Team will be using the hashtags #Team26, #RideON, #WeAreOneRide, and #ridelikedave.
About Team 26
On December 14, 2012, twenty children and six educators lost their lives from a mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. During the spring of 2013, Monte Frank, a Newtown resident and father of children who attended Sandy Hook Elementary, responded by creating Team 26 - a group of 26 cyclists representing the 26 souls who were taken on December 14. That first year, Team 26 rode from Newtown to Washington DC to raise awareness of the lax gun laws in America.
Every year since then, Team 26 has cycled through some of the worst New England weather to deliver a message to Washington - Americans want sensible gun laws. This year, on our 7th ride, we ride to Pittsburgh to spread the message that we must all work to together to stomp out hate and the violence that comes with it.
Members of Team 26 are avid cyclists from around Connecticut, up and down the East Coast, and from as far away as Texas who come together for this ride to rally support for reducing gun violence. Each has a special reason for joining the ride, which you can read about in their Why I Ride statements.