Healthnuts & Handlebars

Three kids, three bikes, one epic adventure
In Summer of 2014, Aileen Bui, Anthony Bui, and Hannah Pham, dubbed “Healthnuts & Handlebars,” will be embarking on a 4,000 mile journey across the United States by bicycle. Though they have only just learned to change their flat tires and haven’t biked more than 50 miles consecutively, they plan to complete the journey without any vehicle support. Their relative lack of experience as cyclists is what makes their journey especially remarkable. They grew up in economically challenged communities, where succeeding meant defying expectations, and that is exactly what they have been doing to get where they are, through college and on their way to achieve their dreams of becoming healthcare professionals. With this bike trip, they hope to continue defying expectations and combine their passions for adventure and traveling with their commitment to serving their community.

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Connection to Kevin Armstrong Foundation
With roots in Orange County, and specifically in Santa Ana for Aileen and Anthony, the foundation’s mission to improve the lives of low-income children in Santa Ana hits very close to home for Healthnuts & Handlebars. Dr. Armstrong is an inspiring role model for H&H because their stories closely mirror his, from his history in a single parent family, his ties to Santa Ana, to his career in medicine. Like Dr. Armstrong, H&H will not turn their backs on the city that has shaped who they are, and the city that needs help.
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As they were growing up, they saw flaws in their education, in the support and mentorship their schools offered them, and in the priorities of many of their peers. However, in the midst of all this, each of them was able to find an outlet through athletics. From water polo, to track, to tennis, each found a sport that they dedicated themselves to. Through athletics, they were able to learn from what challenged them and grow stronger from overcoming their obstacles. So by collaborating with the Foundation, they hope to give more kids in Santa Ana the opportunity to experience the lifetime benefits that they were able to find through sports.

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The Ride
We are riding the TransAmerica Trail, which begins in Astoria, Oregon and ends in Yorktown, Virginia. It totals approximately 4300 miles, and crosses through a diverse range of terrain, from steep climbs through the Rockies, to winding river trails, to historic Native American sites, and through the grand Yellowstone and Teton national parks.
We have chosen this trail because it is a wellestablished cycling trail. We are inexperienced in bike touring and want to travel on a trail that is well supported. The stops, cafes, and overnight accommodations are familiar with bicyclists, and there are numerous bicycle shops along the trail in case we need to fix our bikes or stock up on supplies.

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H & H Goals
H&H asks that you support our ride in any way possible, whether it is through donations to the Foundation or by following us throughout our journey. Our goal is to raise at least $4000 per Healthnut, so that each dollar donated represents 1 mile ridden on the journey, for a total of about $12,000. 100% of donations will go to support the Foundation.

We know this bike trip will be hard, but by finishing this journey, we hope to show that three normal, but determined, kids can accomplish the trip of a lifetime. By sharing our stories, we hope to encourage people to explore new ways to engage in an active lifestyle and inspire children from economically challenged backgrounds, like ourselves, to pursue something that sparks their interest, even if it is seemingly out of reach. We hope that collaborating with the Kevin Armstrong MD Memorial Sports Foundation will allow us to make as large an impact as possible towards our shared goals in the city of Santa Ana. Thank you so much for your support!

H&H was featured in the Williamsburg-Yorktown Daily "Trio of Cyclists Finish Oregon-to-Virginia Ride in Yorktown"

For more information about our ride go to our blog at Healthnuts & Handlebars, check out our CrowdFunding Page or see our Instagram!