Team Bikes Across America for Cancer Research - FOX 42: Omaha News, Sports and Weather; kptm.com |

Franque Thompson

OMAHA (KPTM)- Imagine traveling from one end of the country to the other on a bicycle. Now imagine doing that in a country foreign to you. That was a dream that became reality for one man and his team-from the Holy land, to the heartland and beyond. They came all the way from Israel to raise money for cancer research.

The journey across America has more meaning than just raising money. Bike for the Fight is a fundraiser Tom Peled started to raise money for the Israel Cancer Research Fund in his homeland.  The bike ride began last month in Los Angeles and will end in New York. 

"I'm looking towards the future and the money that we're raising is going to cancer research which is the future, so that other families and other people won't have to suffer the same fate," said Peled.

The idea started from a tragedy in Tom's family.  His father died after an eight year battle with stomach cancer.

"After he passed away, I had a very big gap that nothing that I tried to do could fill," he said.

To combat his depression, Tom biked across Europe by himself, and regained meaning in his life. Seeing success from that, he formed a team and together, they're traveling through the states in honor of his father.

"When I see the light that Tom has and the inspiration that he has and the motivation that he has and the motivation that he inspire on other people that we go along, that all the time give me like, charging my battery all the time and telling me this is the right thing to do," said co-biker and navigator Roey Peleg.

The  journey is especially important.  Their celebrating Tom's 25th birthday.  So their big plan is to travel 25 hours, non-stop, to Iowa City, about 250 miles away.  And they say they're up for the challenge.

"There are a lot of odds against us in this 25 hours operation but I'm really expecting to see how we get along," said Peleg.

They've already beat their goal fundraising $45,000 and they aren't tired yet.  They have found Nebraska to be the most generous throughout their journey so far.

"We wish we could have stayed longer because just the people here are so warm and so nice.  And this state, you know we've raised the most amount of money just from random people we've met along the way," said Peled.

The BFF team plans to reach New York before November.  Travel updates, videos and pictures of the experience are posted daily on their Bike for the Fight Facebook page.  Donations can be made through on their web site.