Published: November 07, 2009 10:47 pm      

‘Just one more day’: Sisters complete cross-country ride to benefit cancer research

JOHNSTOWN — Sisters Erin and Bethany Wilson wanted to throw in the towel more than once during their cross-country bicycle ride, but quitting isn’t in their nature.

“The first two weeks, we wanted to quit everyday and go home,” said Erin Wilson, 27, a former resident of Richland Township who now lives in Miami. “But we kept saying to each other, ‘OK, just one more day. Let’s just go one more day.’ And then, suddenly, we passed that hard part and it wasn’t so bad.”

The Wilsons set out on the 3,000-mile trek on June 8 to raise funds for cancer research and pay tribute to their grandfather, who passed away a few years ago because of complications related to prostate cancer.

The sisters climbed on their bikes in San Francisco and ended their ride Aug. 17 in New Smyrna Beach, Fla.

“Cross Country for a Cure” was a success, and the women surpassed their goal of $5,000 and raised around $6,500 for the American Cancer Society.

“While on the trip, I thought this was something that I’d never do again. But now that I have had time to sit back and look at it, it would be something on my list to do again,” Wilson said. “It was new and exciting and we raised money for a good cause, so why not?”

At times the trip might have been a tad too exciting.

Wilson said on their last day in Nevada they stopped to eat lunch and take a small break.

While sitting on the ground she felt something brush up against her leg.

“It was a rattlesnake and it curled up under my bag,” she said. “We have video of that.”

Luckily, after some prodding with a stick, the snake went on its way, leaving the Wilsons unscathed.

“Nothing bad happened, which was good because we were in the middle of nowhere and the closest town had 25 people, so what could they have done?” Wilson said.

Wilson said she and her sister, who is a senior at Pitt-Johnstown, didn’t keep much food with them while riding because it added extra weight.

“We had enough for each day and made lots of stops at gas stations for water,” she said.

“We basically lived on Sun Chips and Coke for a long time.”

But it wasn’t all pedaling. The women were able to relax a bit and take in some sites, including Bryce Canyon in Utah and Royal Gorge in Colorado. They let out their adventurous sides and did whitewater rafting in the Arkansas River and cliff jumping into the Tennessee-Tombigbee River.

Other than some flat tires here and there, the trip was pretty much uneventful. Wilson said people were really nice, either offering money for the cause or opening their homes for a place to sleep or shower.

“This trip gave me a new outlook on humanity,” she said.

“People were offering to help us in any way they could, and they were complete strangers.”

Besides the bonding, the sisters shared and the memories they created, Wilson said she’s grateful she was able to see firsthand the beauty of Earth.

“We had such amazing opportunities, and I’m in love with this planet. God’s creation is just amazing,” she said.

“Being on a bike, you are a lot slower than the cars whipping by, so you have time to take it all in.”