What started as a joke over the summer has turned into a 1,000-mile charitable expedition for BMX biker Jeff Smee, of Mt. Lebanon.

Mr. Smee, 25, and fellow competitive BMX biker Bryce Toole, 23, of Orlando, Fla., set out from Mt. Lebanon on Sept. 15 with nothing but their bikes and the contents of their 45-pound backpacks. They are traveling to Casselberry, Fla., to raise money for the proposed Pitcher Park in Dormont.

The Pitcher Park Memorial Foundation is headed by former Dormont resident Mary Pitcher, who wants to build a professional-style skate park to honor her sons, Vincent and Stephen Pitcher, who drowned last year while on a camping trip.

Mr. Smee and Vincent Pitcher had known each other through BMX riding.

"It was a local cause for someone that I [knew], and it helped out the BMX community. All the aspects of it just seemed to fit together into what I was doing," Mr. Smee said.

Two local businesses, Round 2 BMX on the South Side and Mercenary Apparel, are supporting of the Florida-bound bikers and their cause. Round 2 is providing all of the bicycle equipment for the trip, and Mercenary Apparel printed commemorative T-shirts. Proceeds from the sale of the shirts will go to the Pitcher Park fund.

During the first 12 days of their trek, the two followed the Great Allegheny Passage from Point State Park to Cumberland, Md., on through to the C&O Canal Towpath to Washington, D.C. On Sunday, they rested, replenished their food supply and watched the Steelers game. They expect to travel primarily on state roads the rest of the way and hope to reach Casselberry by Oct. 31.

On a typical day, the bikers wake around 10 a.m. and eat a breakfast of dehydrated beans, vegetables and rice. They pack up camp and are on their way about 11 a.m., spending the remainder of the daylight hours biking. They stop every five or so miles for a rest and some trail mix and take an extended break for lunch, usually covering at least 30 miles before darkness falls. When they aren't sleeping at a friend's place along the way, the bikers camp outdoors.

"We pretty much set up the tent, light a little campfire, play the harmonica, read a book, whatever, until we go to sleep," Mr. Smee said.

He has been reading "Walden," Henry David Thoreau's tale of his isolated sojourn in the woods near Concord, Mass. -- a fitting gift from his mother.

For up-to-date information on the trip, visit the bikers' blog at www.flatland2florida.blogspot.com.

Freelance writer Zak Koeske can be reached in care of suburbanliving@post-gazette.com.

What started as a joke over the summer has turned into a 1,000-mile charitable expedition for BMX biker Jeff Smee, of Mt. Lebanon.

Mr. Smee, 25, and fellow competitive BMX biker Bryce Toole, 23, of Orlando, Fla., set out from Mt. Lebanon on Sept. 15 with only their bikes and the contents of their 45-pound backpacks. They are traveling to Casselberry, Fla., to raise money for the proposed Pitcher Park in Dormont.

The bikers don't know how much they have raised so far and hope to increase awareness as they ride.

The Pitcher Park Memorial Foundation is headed by former Dormont resident Mary Pitcher, who wants to build a skate park to honor her sons, Vincent and Stephen Pitcher, who drowned last year while on a camping trip.

Mr. Smee and Vincent Pitcher had known each other through BMX riding.

"It was a local cause for someone that I [knew], and it helped out the BMX community. All the aspects of it just seemed to fit together into what I was doing," Mr. Smee said.

Two local businesses, Round 2 BMX on the South Side and Mercenary Apparel, are supporting the Florida-bound bikers and their cause. Round 2 is providing the bicycle equipment for the trip, and Mercenary Apparel printed commemorative T-shirts. Proceeds from the sale of shirts will go to the park fund.

During the first 12 days of their trek, the two followed the Great Allegheny Passage from Point State Park to Cumberland, Md., on through to the C&O Canal Towpath to Washington, D.C. On Sunday, they rested, replenished their food supply and watched the Steelers game. They expect to travel primarily on state roads the rest of the way and hope to reach Casselberry by Oct. 31.

On a typical day, the bikers wake around 10 a.m. and eat a breakfast of dehydrated beans, vegetables and rice. They pack up camp and are on their way about 11 a.m., spending the remainder of the daylight hours biking. They stop every five or so miles, then take an extended break for lunch, usually covering at least 30 miles before darkness falls. When they aren't sleeping at a friend's place along the way, the bikers camp outdoors.

"We pretty much set up the tent, light a little campfire, play the harmonica, read a book, whatever, until we go to sleep," Mr. Smee said.

He has been reading "Walden," Henry David Thoreau's tale of his isolated sojourn in the woods near Concord, Mass. -- a fitting gift from his mother.

For up-to-date information on the trip, visit the bikers' blog at www.flatland2florida.blogspot.com.

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