Mufaddal Fidahussein ’15 set himself a big goal this summer: ride his bike more than 4,000 miles across the country to raise funds for Manna Food Bank in Asheville, North Carolina. The longest ride he’d ever done previously, from Spartanburg to Key West last December, was 1,000 miles.
But Fidahussein, a fourth-year nursing student who earned his first bachelor’s at Upstate 10 years ago, isn’t afraid of challenges. “I got this confidence after doing the winter break trip,” he says. “That just really opened my mind up to everything that’s possible. It’s so not complicated. Once you’re in it, it just makes sense.”
On an overcast morning in May, Fidahussein started his journey in La Push, Washington, by the shore of the Pacific Ocean. Three days later his adventure almost came to a premature end when he was hit by a car. He was uninjured, but his bike was destroyed and his resolve shaken. “I was so devastated,” he recalls.
He regrouped for 10 days at the nearby home of a family friend, then got back on the road with a new bike, named Lil Goose in tribute to Upstate’s year-round residents.
His original plan had been to make the trip in 80 days, but he was keenly aware of the time he’d lost after the accident. “But you know what, it all kind of worked out,” Fidahussein says. “Sometimes not all the answers will be given to you, but you’ve just gotta give it your best shot.”
His route took him along part of the Great American Rail Trail, down through the central U.S., then back up again, en route to Liberty State Park in New Jersey, his final destination. Along the way he passed through small towns and big cities; arid scrub lands and snow-speckled mountains; and breathtaking natural beauty.
Fidahussein firmly believes cycling is about slowing down and being in the moment: “You’re experiencing the world in a very intimate way.” Unlike driving, cycling provides a wide view of the landscape, and you can stop at any time to take in your surroundings, he notes. “You can feel the air and every couple of miles the smell changes,” he says. “And you meet all these people.”
Those connections on the road were among Fidahussein’s favorite parts of his ride. There was the aging hippie who offered free camp sites and refreshments for cyclists. The woman in Utah who gave him her extra set of flat-resistant tires – a game-changer after he’d struggled with multiple flats. The people in small Nebraska towns who would strike up a conversation while he was eating and then pay for his meal.
“There were so many guiding angels along the way that made the trip smoother and nicer for me,” Fidahussein says.
One couple he met in Colorado literally went the extra mile for him. They stayed in touch during his trip and coordinated their travels so they could offer him a celebratory meal and place to stay at the end of his journey. They even drove him all the way back to South Carolina to ensure he’d arrive in time for classes.
With his final year of school now underway, Fidahussein has a lot to celebrate. He raised more than $1,600 for Manna Food Bank, all of which went directly to the organization. He’s on track to complete his nursing degree in spring. And he’s excited about finding a nursing job. His trip helped him focus on what really matters, he says.
“There are things that you think you know or you want, but there’s always a better plan out there and you have to be open to that.”
