Biker pedals across country to raise awareness, funds for cancer research

When cancer survivor Patrick Byrne was challenged by a charitable group to bicycle across the U.S., it was only natural for him to issue a counter-challenge.

After all, Byrne, 37, is CEO of overstock.com, one of the nation's fastest growing online businesses. His challenge to Pan-Mass Challenge was for them to raise a record $11 million for cancer research this year while he rode cross country.

"I said if they raise $11 million this year, I'll donate another million myself," said Byrne as he relaxed at the Nevada State Capitol after finishing the first big challenge of his cross country ride - the climb over the Sierra.

Byrne says this is the fourth time he's biked across the country. He set out from San Francisco about a week ago and plans to finish in Boston Aug. 4 so he can join the annual PMC fundraising ride to Cape Cod along with 3,000 other bikers.

He said the Challenge was started 20 years ago by "a Boston Irishman named Billy Starr" who had lost several family members to cancer.

The great thing about PMC, he said, is that more than 93 cents of every dollar raised goes to cancer research, a large portion of it to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, which is affiliated with the Harvard University system. That, he said, provides cash for basic research vital to curing the disease.

Starr convinced him to ride across country and tell his story in the process to raise awareness.

"I always actually refused, very selfishly, to have anything to do with cancer," he said.

The disease nearly killed Byrne three times after he finished college 15 years ago. The first time, he lost 70 pounds and the second, they gave him only a 20 percent change of living. He beat the odds again but only for a short time.

"When I got it again they put me in salvage, which is when they don't think you're going to survive," he said. "It was in my lungs, liver - I had cancer of the everything."

He survived and recovered but says that changed how he looks at the world and probably accounts for much of his success.

"When I graduated, I was on one track but that disease knocked me off that one track."

"I never got back on that one track and, careerwise, it's worked out very well."

In addition to a very successful business - which now lists sales of more than $2 million a month - Byrne holds a doctorate in philosophy and has lectured at Stanford. And he takes more pleasure in everything he does.

"Not may people die wishing with their last breath that they'd spent more time in the office," he said. "I see parents teach their kids to be afraid of the world. Sure, there're risks they should be aware of but you've got to try things."

Byrne said he took up bicycling after his first recovery from cancer and has ridden across country three times before.

A couple of those, he said, were much more intense rides, pushing upwards of 100 miles a day.

"At 70 miles a day, you build up and get tougher," he said. "At 100 a day, you break down."

This time, he said he's getting a break from a new style bike. Unlike the regular bicycles he rode before, this one is a "recumbent" with the rider leaning backward on a kind of chair, legs stretched out to pedals in front. Byrne says it's more comfortable on the long haul and, he believes, safer.

But the biggest difference is, this time, he has plenty of time. That means he can stop and see a few sights along the way - including spending Tuesday afternoon and evening in Carson City before heading east again.

On the road, he said most nights he just breaks out the sleeping bag and tent stored in bags on the back of the bike. Every few days, he hits a motel for a good night's sleep and a shower.

"It was beautiful sleeping in the Sierra under a canopy of stars," he said. "Just gorgeous."

Along the way, he'll also visit hospitals to show cancer patients they too can win the battle.

Wednesday morning, he planned to continue eastward after checking with the Nevada Highway Patrol to decide whether to take Interstate 80 or Highway 50.

He said anyone who wants to follow his progress or contribute to the cause can do so through the overstock.com website.