Over 50 veterans rolled into Pismo Beach on the afternoon of October 21 for the annual 18th Project Hero California Challenge.
This 400-mile therapy bike ride starts in Santa Cruz and finishes in Port Hueneme.
Every year, veterans from both Europe and throughout the United States join the ride to support Project Hero, the national nonprofit organization that helps veterans and first responders affected by injury and PTSD achieve rehabilitation.
"We will end up doing about 380 miles this week with six days of riding,” said cyclist John Baker. “So, for a lot of veterans that have experienced a lot of difficulty in their lives, when you're riding next to somebody for hours at a time, that is very rehabilitating."
While some veterans will complete the whole 400-mile route, others can choose to do single-day rides and join others for shorter legs of the trip.
