SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - Wounded Warrior Project’s (WWP) Soldier Ride 250, presented by the NFL’s Salute to Service, is underway, bringing dozens of veterans on a 1,000-mile adaptive cycling journey from Florida to New York as the nation approaches its 250th anniversary.
The multi-state ride began Thursday and will run through May 29, beginning at Wounded Warrior Project headquarters in Jacksonville, Florida, and ending at Firehouse 10 near the 9/11 Memorial in New York City. Riders are traveling through communities along the East Coast, stopping at historic landmarks tied to 250 years of American history, including a planned stop at Arlington National Cemetery on Memorial Day.
Organizers say the event is designed to highlight veterans’ courage and resilience while also demonstrating the long-term impact adaptive sports can have on physical and mental wellness.
One of the veterans riding is Kelly Elmlinger, an Army veteran and Paralympic triathlete who served three deployments as an Army medic. After cancer led to the amputation of her left leg, Elmlinger returned to competition with a prosthetic and later represented Team USA in Paralympic triathlon.
The group includes veterans riding traditional bicycles as well as hand cycles and recumbent bikes designed to accommodate injuries. The ride also includes engagements with NFL teams along the route.
WWP launched Soldier Ride 250 in partnership with America250, the nonpartisan organization charged by Congress with leading the commemoration of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
The ride is expected to come through Savannah on Saturday.