A recent ISU graduate is riding his bike across the country to raise awareness for the American Cancer Society.

Tyler Weig, ISU graduate, said when the mother of one of his friends was diagnosed with cancer, it spurred him into action. He teamed up with Mark Fetterhoff, Drake University graduate, and started a cross-country bike ride on June 4.

Weig rides the bike, and Fetterhoff drives their van carrying the gear.

“I just wanted to do something that would make people realize that in one way or another, we are all affected by cancer,” Weig said. “We may not know someone in our immediate family who has, or has had cancer, but we can all think of someone we know who has been affected.”

Weig started off the coast of Oregon and said he hopes to be in Virginia Beach by July 24.

Weig’s mother, Ann Weig, and his grandmother were ready to greet him as he arrived in Des Moines on July 5.

His grandmother said Tyler’s biggest supporters are in his home town, Oelwein, Iowa.

Ann said she was very surprised her son took this challenge on.

“No one in our immediate family has had cancer, so it was just surprising he felt so strongly about it,” she said. “I think it shows that you do not have to be really close to a person or be in their family to be affected by cancer, it touches everyone.”

Tyler has been staying with host families, mostly consisting of distant relatives and friends of friends, along his journey, Ann said.

“Everyone he has stayed with has been so nice and helpful, feeding him and opening up their homes. They have been fantastic,” she said.

Tonya Fier, director of development for the American Cancer Society’s Iowa Chapter, said she was surprised by Wieg’s idea of biking across the country, but soon realized he was serious.

“We helped as much as we could with sponsorship, but Tyler really took that challenge head on and started looking for other sponsors on his own,” Fier said.

Weig said his main sponsorship came from Bike World.

“They have been really great to work with. We all really appreciate what they have done for us,” Weig said.

Weig and Fetterhoff said overall their journey has been positive without any disasters or true hardships.

“Every day has presented its different challenges, most people say going over the Rockies and that area is the most difficult, but I cannot think of any truly awful days,” Weig said.

Fetterhoff said the worst they have really dealt with is flat tires.

“If I had to pick a really bad day, it would be when after going 900 miles and no flat tires we had two in less than a mile, but even that was not too bad,” he said.

Weig said he had no previous long distance biking experience, and Ann said the only experience he had was when he ran in a marathon in Ames and rode in RAGBRAI, but it was nothing of this scale.

“It is a huge difference, biking across one state and now trying to do 11, but I am doing well and just take one day at a time,” Weig said.