U.S. Marine Corps Veteran Tarra Gundrum recently rode her bicycle from West Bend, Wis., to Washington D.C. The nearly 1,000 mile ride was a two-week trip that she took to support educational outreach efforts at the Wisconsin 9/11 Memorial & Education Center in Kewaskum, Wis. All told, Tarra raise more than $10,000 for the Memorial!
This week, I sit down with Tarra to talk about her ride, what it was like out on the road for two weeks, and some of the other adventures from her travels.
[00:00:00] Fuzz Martin: Hey, how about you, Washington County? Thanks for listening to Fifteen Minutes with Fuzz. I am your host, Fuzz Martin, and every Monday we talk about positive things happening right here in our community. How about that? I have a repeat guest this week. Repeat guest alert. Tarra Gundrum has been on the show before to talk about her podcast, The Possible Project Podcast.
And this week she’s here to talk about a super amazing feat that she just accomplished. Over the second half of August, Tarra rode her bike, her bicycle, not a motorcycle. She rode her bike from West Bend to Kewaskum. To Washington, D. C. In doing so, she raised 10, 000 for the Wisconsin 9 11 Memorial and Education Center.
And this week, Tarra joins me to talk about her ride. What made her do it and some of the adventures she had along the way. And with that, here’s 15 minutes on Tarra Gundrum’s Ride to Remember on Fifteen Minutes with Fuzz.
If you haven’t heard Tarra Gundrum, wife, mother, Marine Corps veteran, podcaster, author, Washington County employee. And cyclist.
[00:01:26] Tarra Gundrum: Yes.
[00:01:27] Fuzz Martin: Just returned. You just returned from a 1, 000 mile bike ride from West Bend all the way to Washington, D. C. How are you?
[00:01:35] Tarra Gundrum: I am doing very well. Uh, surprisingly, like, folks are like, how do you feel?
I’m like, I feel great. You know, right now I’m like, I miss my bike.
[00:01:44] Fuzz Martin: I, uh, I was going to actually offer you a cushion for the podcast chair here just in case you needed one after sitting in a bike seat for a thousand miles. Welcome home. I have many, many questions for you, and I know you don’t have. A ton of time because you’re still unburying yourself from the work that piled up while you were gone.
First of all, let’s talk about how did you get the inspiration to ride from West Bend to Washington, D. C.?
[00:02:07] Tarra Gundrum: So it’s a two part story, right? Um, my initial goal was to A, go to the Black Girls Do Bike National Meetup, which was held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. And also to complete a two week bike tour, which is just something I’d never gone that distance before.
And so in looking at the map and kind of logistics and availability. I was like, I’m just going to bike to Pittsburgh, but for anyone who is familiar with the Cycling Realm or the two great national scenic trails, the, uh, Great Allegheny Passage, as well as the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Trail, they start in Pittsburgh.
And if you’re in that area, I mean, you just do not like not do that, right? So a two week trip turned into a three week trip, but the realization that it was so big, it was such a great accomplishment. That I was going after, I needed to do it for a cause. And so that’s how it all came about.
[00:02:58] Fuzz Martin: You did it for?
[00:02:59] Tarra Gundrum: The Wisconsin 9 11 Memorial Education Center.
[00:03:04] Fuzz Martin: Awesome. Thank you so much for doing that. We, uh, well, one, we’re very proud of you. And I said this at the, the Ride to Remember, I almost said sales event, the Ride to Remember sales event going on now with Toyota thon, um, no, the, uh, at, at the return. I said that you have this unique mixture of both ambition and get it done, like you’re a visionary and you’re a doer, and it’s amazing that you put your mind to these kind of things and get them done.
So congrats to you.
[00:03:32] Tarra Gundrum: Thank you. Thank you so much.
[00:03:34] Fuzz Martin: Let’s talk about your trip. So your first leg was to Milwaukee, right?
[00:03:37] Tarra Gundrum: Yep. So I started out the morning of August 14th and I kind of left my house, swung by my church for a prayer send off, and then hit the ferry in Milwaukee. And I tell you, that was the most real ferry ride ever.
Cause once I crossed the lake and ended up in Michigan, it was like, okay, you’re on your own. You’re not in Kansas anymore.
[00:03:57] Fuzz Martin: Were there other cyclists on the ferry?
[00:03:59] Tarra Gundrum: Yeah. So it was interesting as I pulled through, I was probably the most loaded cyclist. And that’s kind of like a thing. Like you see a group of cyclists, you see your people, you start talking.
And yeah, so there was probably like six other cyclists. We had great conversation about what I was doing, what they had just completed. And then we basically sat together on the ferry and we just shared like stories of cycling and, you know, dreams of things that we wanted to achieve.
[00:04:22] Fuzz Martin: Sure. That’s awesome.
And then. You landed in Muskegon, and so did you start biking right away when you got off the ferry?
[00:04:30] Tarra Gundrum: Yeah, I needed to find a place to stay that night. So that night was about a 60 mile night. I had already completed 40 and I had about 20 to go. Um, I was uncertain when I, while on the ferry, I was uncertain if I was going to stay at a state park or if I was going to get a warm showers host that night.
And literally when I got off the ferry and I was waiting to get my bike, I got a message from a Warm Showers host saying, come on over and stay. So that was phenomenal.
[00:04:54] Fuzz Martin: Can you explain for our listeners what a Warm Showers host is?
[00:04:59] Tarra Gundrum: Absolutely. So there’s an organization, it’s a nonprofit called warmshowers.
org, and it’s basically a group of amazing people who either have had cycling experience, done it themselves, or they have a passion for a cyclist. Uh, maybe there’s a child or someone in their family or a friend that they know. But long of the story short is, they will open their homes to you at a level of their comfort, varying from as far as like you can, you know, Camp on my, my lawn and use my water hose or you can have a spare bedroom or I’ll cook you dinner.
Sure. And, and just imagine the possibilities. So these lovely folks will do those things for you. And then you basically pay it forward in kindness and sharing that experience with somebody else.
[00:05:47] Fuzz Martin: So how many different warm showers places did you stay in across your trip?
[00:05:52] Tarra Gundrum: So I stayed at six planned warm shower places and three kind of like unplanned host situations.
[00:06:00] Fuzz Martin: Okay, were they unplanned because of like weather issues or mileage? How did that, what happened there?
[00:06:06] Tarra Gundrum: Uh, one, or two were definitely unplanned by weather issues. And then one, I was literally leaving Pittsburgh. And this shuttle driver, who’s much more than a shuttle driver, this is an amazing family, he and his wife were standing there and he handed me my card and he was like, Hey, if you’re near Shepherdstown, anywhere near Williamsport, give me a shout.
And it was like, they lived 45 minutes from the trail, but they drove to the trail to pick me up, took me to their home to host me. I had the most amazing experience. And then they brought me back to the trail the next day so that I can continue my journey. Phenomenal. I mean, and that right there was the beginning of a lifelong friendship.
Oh, that’s awesome.
[00:06:47] Fuzz Martin: I can only imagine it. So along the, the trek, uh, on your trek, did you, did you meet any people that you rode for any length of miles with?
[00:06:57] Tarra Gundrum: Yeah. So, uh, interestingly enough, the two very unique, uh, situations, uh, situations. Yeah. I only saw two African American males on the whole trail, like no females, and that was it.
Uh, and these two gentlemen were both, one in near Jackson, Michigan, and one near Sandusky, Ohio. They were cycling towards me. And it was like almost an instant, like, brake, screech. bobbybeckeal The first one turned out to be a pastor. Turned around, and he was like, I don’t want to hold you up, but I want to know your story.
Let’s cycle. So he started cycling back with me. He ended up hosting me for lunch. Um, I met his family, and it was just wonderful. They turned out to be an amazing family. Community organization themselves has really given back, so that was a great conversation. And the other gentleman in Sandusky, Ohio, what sparked his interest was my Marine Corps jersey.
Okay. And he’s a fellow Marine as well. And so we talked all about Marine Corps and cycling and being outside and all of those things. So those are the two folks that, um, Cycled with me for a distance and it turned out to be just a great connection.
[00:07:59] Fuzz Martin: Yeah. It’s always easier to, I think when you’re, sometimes when you’re cycling with other people, sometimes you’re in a zone and you’re like, Oh, well, you know, like I just don’t want to talk to anybody.
But sometimes you’re like, the time goes faster when you’re having a conversation with somebody that you don’t know, or, or even just talking about anything when you’re trying to not listen to your legs. Right. Oh yeah. I mean, that’s, that’s
[00:08:20] Tarra Gundrum: totally. So I have like a internal clock when I’m cycling. It’s crazy.
And it’s about. Two and a half hours to three hours, so, okay. And I need to eat. Yeah. It is just like bottom line. And so I was cycling with that pastor, and, and he’s like, so how far are you going today? I was like, well, you know, I need to find something to eat in like 30 minutes, you know, , uh, and that’s where the, he was like, let us host you for lunch.
It was amazing. Oh, that’s cool. But yeah, you’re on this clock that revolves around food and distance. . Yep. Um, so it’s like, I gotta make, I, I need to go 20 and then I need to eat. That’s the plan.
[00:08:51] Fuzz Martin: Sure. Yeah. And then you’re doing the math like, well, I’m going, you know. Fifteen miles per hour, I’ll get five more miles.
Yeah,
[00:08:58] Tarra Gundrum: and then I get, I get like Sour Patch Kids.
[00:09:00] Fuzz Martin: That’s perfect. So you got to Pittsburgh, and you participated in the Black Girls Do Ride event, right?
[00:09:07] Tarra Gundrum: Yep, Black Girls Do Bike, uh, yeah, it was, it was phenomenal. They had a great itinerary planned for the weekend already, so I was able to participate in a bike kind of Pittsburgh.
Uh, what do you call it? We had like a tour guide on a bike, right? And then, so she was taking us all to the great iconic places of Pittsburgh and sharing the history of the area with us. And it was just beautiful to be a part of that group that, A, people don’t generally see together in that large of a capacity.
So it was just wonderful. And then, uh, we all had like little, some people had different speakers. So you have like a music rolling through and just the camaraderie and the fellowship and meeting all the other ladies from all across the country. I mean, it was a great event.
[00:09:49] Fuzz Martin: Now, is there a Black Girls Do Bike, what would it be, a segment here in Wisconsin?
[00:09:54] Tarra Gundrum: Well, I’m glad you brought that up, Fuzz. So, uh, actually, uh, the different chapters, they’re called, are led by local leaders called SheRows. And so there’s a Black Girls Do Bike in Milwaukee, and then there’s Actually, a black girls do bike here in Washington County. Oh, really? And I just so happen to be the shero for that.
Oh, you’re the shero? Yes. But guess what, folks? I’m the only person in my group. So, we actually welcome women of all shades. The real intent of this is to get Women together on bikes in a safe space that they can meet other women who are doing the same thing and they don’t have to worry about the hustle and bustle of the varying speeds or going fast or breaking records and all of these things.
We just want to create a safe environment to not only teach the discipline of the sport, but give you access to people who can support you along the way and be with you out there, whether it’s on the trail or on the road. So that’s what we’re trying to achieve.
[00:10:52] Fuzz Martin: That’s amazing. And, uh, yeah, so they can just reach out to you if they’re interested in writing and find you on all the social media channels and things and reach out
[00:11:00] Tarra Gundrum: and get connected.
Absolutely. Yeah, they can go to Tarra Gundrum dot com. That’s T A R R A Gundrum dot com. And you’ll find the link to the Black Girls Do Bike there or easy quick one is Black Girls Do Bike, Washington County, at gmail dot com.
[00:11:13] Fuzz Martin: All right. Very good. Now, what did it feel like when you saw DC in front of you?
[00:11:22] Tarra Gundrum: Oh, my goodness.
So, what really kind of stuck with me is seeing, like, you start to see less of the trail, um, because the C& O Canal Trail is a bunch of locks that you go by, and then the locks kind of get fewer and far in between, and then that trail, that unimproved portion starts to turn into more urbanized
[00:11:45] Fuzz Martin: look. Sure.
[00:11:45] Tarra Gundrum: Uh, and then all of a sudden you kind of come up through this park area and you see all these people like skateboarding and doing all of these things and there’s a point where the C& O Canal Trail parallels a regular like paved bike trail for probably like three miles. That’s when you know you’re getting close.
And then in order to get to Mile Zero, you have to go through this downtown Georgetown district. Okay. And you know that you’re about to be there when you hear this yelling of just, like, megaphones on the water, and there are rowing teams everywhere, going crazy. Sure. And so, that, to me, that sound was, I’m getting close.
And then seeing them and seeing the water and then the iconic bridges that you see in D. C., starting to come upon those, it’s like, I’m here. Like, and you just got this, like, smell or like big smile on your face. It’s amazing.
[00:12:36] Fuzz Martin: And then you, you ended up, uh, once you got there, you did take a picture on, like, it was the Capitol Steps?
Yeah, so,
[00:12:43] Tarra Gundrum: so that, let me, I gotta tell you real quick, that was interesting, the whole approach to that. So, I was blessed and fortunate to have received an opportunity from Congressmen Fitzgerald’s office to visit the Capitol on behalf of their staff and take a staff led tour. Um, so that’s what I was there to do.
And upon the approach, it was like, I was trying to put my bicycle up on a bike rack so that I can go and like check in. And where they wanted me to put it, I, I just knew that my stuff was going to be gone when I came back, right? So I ended up taking my bike to security, saying, Hey, like, this is what I’m trying to do, like, and they’re, they’re like, Looking at my bag and is, is that bear spray, ma’am?
And I’m like, uh, yeah, like, and I start trying to tell him my story quickly because I’m like, am I in trouble or what? You’re not supposed to have bear spray. You’re not supposed to have maize. You’re not supposed to have any of those things. And then there, on top of it, there’s this dog that starts barking at my gear.
And I’m like, okay, long story short, thank goodness I made it in there safe. It was great. It was wonderful. Uh, there was a lot of grease head that day, but don’t ever take bear spray to the beach.
[00:13:46] Fuzz Martin: A tip from Tarra for you, uh, if you’re ever driving to DC, uh, or riding to DC, uh, or walking to DC, either way, don’t, don’t take bear spray.
So you got, you were there for a couple of days, right? And then, or was it just one night?
[00:14:00] Tarra Gundrum: It was just the one day. So I was actually supposed to end my trip on that Friday, the second. And then like in that morning and then go to like my Amtrak that afternoon. But I had gotten a message from a good Marine Corps friend of mine.
We served together as drill instructors in Parris Island. She’s like, Hey, I’m home this weekend. Let’s hang out. And so that’s what caused me to beat feet to DC Thursday night. And just like. Basically, knock out a day and a half, it’s worth the riding in one day. And, you know, it’s always good to celebrate with a fellow Marine.
So that was amazing.
[00:14:32] Fuzz Martin: That’s great. That’s really cool. Um, you took the Amtrak back to Milwaukee. Your husband, Jason, right? Yep. Picked you up. And then, Uh, you met us here at the Eyes of Montreal, actually you got, you and Jason rode to the Eyes of Montreal from your house, I assume, right? Yeah,
[00:14:46] Tarra Gundrum: well actually, uh, we, so when I got off the Amtrak, the full intent was to actually cycle from Amtrak back to the, the Memorial, but it was something about having ridden that long and then sitting for that excessive amount of time on the train, like my knees were just so swollen excessively, it was crazy.
So yes, my husband picked me up. And we cycled to, uh, or he picked me up via car. And then we met at this park near the fair park, just to kind of get my legs moving before I met up with the group. And it was my husband and, um, my good Marine Corps mentor, Pete, uh, Colonel Peter Buck, he met us. And we rode from there to the trailhead where we met just a host of lovely people to include you.
[00:15:29] Fuzz Martin: And then we rode all the way up to the memorial, which is another, you know, You know, just dropping the bucket from what you’ve done. And, uh, it was a lot of fun. We had a band playing and people holding signs cheering you on. So it was, uh, how did that feel when you saw you were riding back into the Memorial?
[00:15:45] Tarra Gundrum: It felt so good. Like I was overwhelmed with just joy and excitement and all the emotions of Seeing a community come together for a great cause and riding with the group that I rode with, I had an opportunity to speak with everyone individually over the course of that ride. So that was just beautiful.
And just seeing the crowd of people wearing those beautiful Ride to Remember t shirts, that was just amazing. Amazing. So I just want to take a moment here to say thanks to you, Fuzz, and thanks to Mike Christian from Hometown for the work that they put in behind the scenes. And there were so many other members of the 9 11 Memorial who supported the organization and community members who came together to provide funding to make that whole thing happen.
It was just phenomenal. So I thank everyone who participated.
[00:16:32] Fuzz Martin: I’ve said this a number of times. Anything that I did was just sitting at a computer. So what you did was far more than, uh, uh, putting some stuff online. So no, thank you. It was a wonderful event. It was really cool. I’m very proud of you for doing that.
And I don’t know if we can talk about this. Do you know how much you’ve raised so far or how much you’ve raised in total?
[00:16:53] Tarra Gundrum: So I think we’re getting really close to the 10, 000 mark. I’m like, just kind of looking at what came through online via GoFundMe, as well as the checks that are already received, and a few are still coming in.
Like we might be right around that 9, 000 mark. Uh, I’m not sure how, Perfect. That number is, uh, ahead or behind, but somewhere near there. Somewhere
[00:17:16] Fuzz Martin: near there. Yeah. I can tell you we have in our system 4, 143. So, uh,
[00:17:21] Tarra Gundrum: 4, 143. I think we, I think we did it.
[00:17:24] Fuzz Martin: All right. Congratulations. That’s outstanding. We’re
[00:17:27] Tarra Gundrum: so close.
Yeah. Like we’re right there. Yeah.
[00:17:30] Fuzz Martin: So there’s still a few of those Ride to Remember t shirts. They’re awesome. They’re red and white and with a big Ride to Remember logo, which has the memorials piece of steel on it and the rotunda there. I think we can find a way, we’ll go, if you go to fuzz. cc slash Text Fuzz nine one one.
We will have that send off to a place where you can buy them online. I’m sure you’ll be out speaking at different places and things and maybe we can work out some ways for people to get their hands on those t shirts.
[00:17:57] Tarra Gundrum: Yeah, absolutely. I, I think that’d be wonderful to continue to make those available because they are here for us as a constant reminder to never forget.
Right, but as you just kind of alluded to, we’re going to have some, a couple of speaking engagements coming up. Like Uh, there’s an opportunity to speak at the Boys and Girls Club. There’s an opportunity to speak at Big Brothers Big Sisters. And, you know, if there’s any other school areas that would like, you know, a presentation, like, I’m super happy to do that.
But if I could take some of those t shirts and share them with the children to just kind of further spread that awareness throughout the community, that would be phenomenal. Yeah.
[00:18:27] Fuzz Martin: Again, I want to say congratulations. Thank you. And thanks for coming on the show.
[00:18:31] Tarra Gundrum: Yeah, I really appreciate it Fuzz. I am sure this will continue.
We, we have lots of amazing things to talk about.
[00:18:40] Fuzz Martin: What an amazing story. Thanks again to Tarra Gundrum for coming on the show again. But most of all, thanks for Tarra for riding her bike a thousand miles for the Wisconsin 9 11 Memorial. And of course, thank you to you too, for listening to the show. If it weren’t for you listening. I would be talking to myself and my wife who happens to be in the studio with me right now, quietly listening.
Anyway, I’ll talk to myself anyway. I do it all the time, but it’s less weird when you’re listening. If you ever have an idea for the show, reach out to me at 15withfuzz at gmail. com. That’s 15 spelled out with fuzz at gmail. com. You can also find me on social media, pretty much everywhere you do the socials.
My handles are at fifteenwithfuzz, spelled out. New episodes every Monday. Thanks for tuning in to Fifteen Minutes with Fuzz.
