Rider with a Mission: Bryan Farhy and Fireflies West

Thank goodness for the mrs (again); if not for her, I swear I would meet a small fraction of the people I do. Take Bryan for instance. We had come out of the Bradbury Building and were crossing Broadway, bound for Grand Central Market, when Bryan came spinning along the cross street (3rd) bound for his post-ride refreshment. The Mrs. saw him approaching and started throwing out a bunch of questions - how far you riding, where did you ride from, where you going, etc...

Turns out Bryan Farhy was close to finishing up his ride and getting ready to stop at a favored watering hole just around the corner. Now in a similar situation I, probably, would have acknowledged the barrage of questions with a wave and a smile, maybe been able to think of a single, all-encompassing retort, while continuing to ride past. Fortunately Bryan took some time out of his day to stop and talk, to appease the inquisitive mind and its, seemingly, ceaseless round of questions.

Turns out that Mr. Farhy is one of those riders who uses his cycling to benefit others. As the Founding member of Fireflies West, a dedicated group with a core membership in the advertising and entertainment industries. The groups' annual California ride between San Francisco and Los Angeles (this years ride will run from 4 to 10 October), evolved from similar Fireflies rides in Europe and New Zealand and has, since its inception, raised more than a million dollars for cancer research at the City of Hope.

If you want to learn more about Fireflies West, their mission, their rides, check out the Fireflies West website. There you will find info about them, photos, a video or two, and a link to donate to the worthy cause for which they ride.

Thanks to the Mrs whose boldness, once again, has been responsible for introducing me to another cyclist with a compelling story. Thanks to Bryan Farhy who did not misinterpret an apparent crazy woman's assault of questions and who, though looking forward to that post ride reward, spent some considerable time sharing that story.