April Galda Joyce's 20 for 20 Challenge

20 Challenges for 20 Years 

Help Me Celebrate 20 Years of Helping Children

I know the power and joy of riding a bicycle through my own experiences enjoying cycling all over the world, through the lessons I’ve learned on two wheels to trust and believe in myself, and through seeing the impact of cycling on the kids I coached. I became involved with CYCLE Kids because of these experiences. I want to help the organization bring cycling, with all these powerful lessons that support emotional wellbeing and physical health, to thousands of children across the US each year.

2024 marks the 20th anniversary of CYCLE Kids and, to celebrate 20 years of changing the lives of thousands of children, I'm taking on a "20 for 20 Challenge". Over the next year, I'll be attempting 20 cycling challenges - some modest and some utterly over-the-top - to help raise $50k for CYCLE Kids and open two new programs in Boston and New York.

The first 14 challenges were pretty normal (for a cyclist)...

I spent early December in Bermuda and knocked out the first two challenges - a double lap of the island (200 km) and climbing Lighthouse Hill 20 times.  Both very long days on the bike, but in one of my favorite places for an incredibly important cause.  Late December, for Challenge #3, I was back home in my basement, where I completed the Rapha Festive 500, riding 500 miles (not kilometers, thank you very much) on Zwift between Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve.  Nothing says the holidays like 27 hours on the trainer!  Challenges #4 and #5 were the big climbs in Tucson, Arizona - Mount Lemmon (that's a long climb!) and Kitt Peak.  #6 was a metric century through the Santa Monica Mountains in California.  #7 took me up the famed Sa Calobra in Mallorca.  Back home for #8 - another 200 km ride, which of course involved doughnuts.  #9-11 were over a three day weekend in New Hampshire with friends - circumnavigate Lake Winnipesaukee, race Crank the Kanc, and a new riding + eating challenge called "all of April's favorite things" which, again, involved doughnuts.  #12 had me back to the White Mountains for a double Bear / double Kanc century.  In the basement for #13, hitting all the climbs in Watopia.  Then across the pond for #14 - London to Paris with HotChillee, an event I last did over a decade ago.  

Challenge #15 was on another level...

The biggest challenge was, well, about as big as they come.  I rode the whole Tour de France route – all 3,500km with 54k meters of climbing – this summer. I started in Florence on June 28, one day ahead of the pros, and rolled into Nice on July 20, having tackled each and every stage.  I've done a lot of cycling, but this was the toughest event I've ever attempted, and my absolute favorite.  I can't wait to tackle more grand tours again!

#16 (Mount Kearsarge Hill Climb) and #17 (150 miles up to Portland and back) rounded out August.  September saw me complete #18 - riding 10,000 miles in a year.  #19 was a return to Tucson to ride El Tour de Tucson (stay tuned for the CYCLE Kids 2025 El Tour team!) and actually finishing what we started back on Challenge #4 by going all the way to the top of Mt Lemmon.

So that just leaves #20, and I plan to go out with a bang.  On December 21st, I’ll be logging onto Zwift and not getting off until I’ve climbed the height of Everest (8848m).  Hopefully it only (only!) takes me 14 hours to complete the needed 8 1/2 laps of Alpe du Zwift.  Your support - your messages, you following along on Strava / Instagram / Zwift, and your donations are what will keep me going!

So please follow along on  Strava or Instagram and donate generously!

April

About CYCLE Kids

CYCLE Kids is committed to working with elementary schools in underserved, racially diverse communities across the US to ensure the basic rights of children to a physically and emotionally healthy start in life, all through the fun of biking and learning about healthy nutrition. The program helps children gain confidence and improve self-esteem while learning active and healthy life skills, and achieving better academic outcomes.  

CYCLE Kids is a registered 501c3 organization. Your donation is full tax deductible.