Local men bicycling to Key West to raise prostate cancer funds, awareness
Men bicycling to Key West to raise prostate cancer funds, awareness pics
Local men bicycling to Key West to raise prostate cancer funds, awareness
By Fran Thompson
The starting point and the charity they are riding in support of are the same, but the Mull brothers (Andy and Chris) are traveling in the opposite direction 19 months after bicycling from Perdido Key to Cleveland to raise funds for prostate cancer awareness. And they have recruited friends Dustin Littledale, Kevin Castillo, Jonohon Berry and Ken Newman to join them on their latest adventure. Plus, Joe DeMartino has stepped up to assist Ken Krempin on the all-important support crew.
The Mulls’ 2020 bike ride from the Gulf of Mexico to Lake Erie raised over $22,000 for the local Simon Says non-profit. The goal is to raise $25,000 this year. To donate, go to simonsaysbike.org, Venmo@SimonSaysBike or send check to Simon Says, 13422 Valerie Dr., Pensacola, FL 32507. You can follow the bicyclists’ progress on facebook and instagram.
Pastor Mike Ellingsen of the Flora-Bama Central Church held a Blessing of the Wheels for the riders and their supporters at the state line on April 16. The men are traveling east along the Florida Panhandle before turning south on A1A to US Mile Marker 0 in Key West with a goal of arriving on April 30.
“This will be different. It is not as long, and there are bridges, but no mountains,’’ Chris Mull said. “The biggest difference is we will be staying in relative luxury at hotels with swimming pools and jacuzzis rather than living out of a camper and staying at campgrounds.’’
The riders hope that they have similar luck with the weather, as the Mulls experienced only three days of rain during the 2020 trip.
They timed that journey to coincide with their grandmother’s 100th birthday party near Cleveland. This year they expect around 50 of their Perdido Key friends to be there waiting to party with them when they arrive in Key West after 14 days on the road.
A former school (sixth grade math) teacher at Jim Bailey School, Andy Mull also logged 20 years and as a Navy air traffic controller.
Chris left a solid job in manufacturing in Ohio to move to the Perdido Key in 2014, after visiting his brother here numerous times. He and his wife Tracy opened the Purple Parrot Tiki Bar & Grill, a business they recently sold.
The Mull brothers have always been close as their four year age difference would allow. Chris, the elder, played basketball at Western Reserve High School in their hometown of Berlin Center, Ohio. Andy played football for the Roughriders.
As the elder brother, Chris was able to dominate most competitions when they were younger. The relationship, of course, matured, when Andy caught up in size.
“Now the abuse is just mental,’’ Andy joked before their first trip.
“I usually beat him in everything’’ is how Chris remembers it.
Simon Says is a local charity that promotes awareness and early testing for prostate cancer and it is a natural choice for a benefactor.
Chris said he almost died because of his own lack of awareness of the disease.
He was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2018 during his routine 50 year old checkup. He said if he had waited much longer, he would have been in deep trouble, which is tragic since it is as easy as drawing blood to get checked for signs of prostate cancer.
“If I waited, things could be a lot different for me today. I went in for a PSA test and it was 6.5 or something like that. We took it a step further and my doctor could see that there was something going on,’’ Chris said.
Chris chose an operation over radiation and that was the right choice as his cancer was accelerating when he went under the knife.
“Afterwards, the doctor said the cancer was a lot worse than he thought and it was a good thing I had the surgery,’’ Chris said. “It pretty much saved my life. I am glad I did my 50 year old checkup. I feel firmly about guys getting checked. All it is a blood test for PSA’s.’’
The men followed the Underground Railroad Trail that extends from Mobile to Canada on their cross country trip. That route is very historical and mostly off-road. They went 13 days without seeing anybody else biking cross country. But they know this is a much more dangerous ride. The challenge will be staying safe while on busy AIA and Hwy. 98 for much of the trip.
Still, they are optimistic and having too much fun not to consider a third fundraising bike trip.
“Oh yeah. We are already thinking about it,’’ Chris said.