SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) – A man who’s been traveling around the country on his motorcycle will celebrate the end of his month-long journey in Sturgis.
Motorcyclist, Adam Sandoval, has spent nearly a month visiting Harley-Davidson shops around the U.S.
“Some people say I’m the Forrest Gump of motorcycles, so I basically ride around the country. I invite riders to join me for as long or as little as they like. And people just join me. I just have this growing parade of motorcycles as I travel the country,” Sandoval said.
Sandoval started in New York and plans to end this year’s convoy in Sturgis, South Dakota.
However, he’s riding for a greater purpose.
“Wounded Warrior Project is a charity that helps veterans deal with different types of struggles they have when coming back from overseas. They fight the invisible wounds alongside our veterans,” Sandoval said.
Sandoval says they’ve raised $144,000 since starting in early July and were looking forward to returning to Sturgis.
“The biker community is much different than what you see in the movies and on TV. The biker community truly is a lot of business professionals, a lot of people who care about their country and their community. And people just want to come together to make a difference while enjoying a great time,” Sandoval said.
With the increase of people making their way out west, safety remains a top priority.
“I always ride with the helmet no matter what. I always try to encourage everybody to ride with a helmet. I understand it’s a personal choice, but truly that helmet can be the difference between life or death,” Sandoval said.
Sandoval hopes to hit the $200,000 goal for the Wounded Warriors Project by the end of his journey on Aug. 8 which wraps up at the Buffalo Chip in Sturgis.
