Blum ’26 turns 2,000-mile cycling trek into mission against breast cancer

 

Wallace Blum '26 is about halfway through a 2,000-mile bicycle ride from Belfast, Maine, to Key West, Florida, with the goal of fighting breast cancer while honoring the memory of his mother, who died of the disease when he was 8.

Blum began the journey on Aug. 10 and expects to complete the roughly five-week ride in time to fly to California, where his father, Jonathan Blum ’87, will help him move into Santa Clara University on Sept. 16.

“I originally thought about doing this in the fall of last year while I was at Culver,” Blum said during a phone interview from the road in Maryland. “I knew I wanted to do it as soon as I saw someone else do it.”

Blum, who is raising funds for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, said the ride is both a personal challenge and an opportunity to support a cause that has shaped his life. His mother, Patricia “Ramsey” Sullivan, died of breast cancer on Nov. 17, 2015.

“She was a great person. I don’t know her much, but I remember her being very artsy, very outgoing. Everybody liked her,” he said.

After she died, Blum’s father brought him and his older brother, Finn, to hike the Camino de Santiago, a pilgrimage through the French Pyrenees to Santiago de Compostela in Spain, where the remains of St. James the Apostle are believed to rest.

Since completing the pilgrimage, Blum said he has wanted to undertake another challenge that would honor his mother's memory while helping others facing the disease that took her life.

The ride combines adventure with advocacy, he said.

“When I thought about this trip, I thought it would be a great opportunity as it’s something hard and respectful,” he said. “So people have an attraction to it. I thought it would be something that could bring a lot of value to breast cancer research fundraising.”

 

 

His father fully supported the ride, despite understandable concerns.

“He fully supported me, obviously very nervous, and asked me many questions about my preparation. But he’s quite an adventurous person himself. I believe he inspires me to do things like this.”

Those interested can follow Blum’s ride here: Instagram On Aug. 29, he reached his goal of raising $10,000 for breast cancer research. Blum said he has been notified that an anonymous private foundation has pledged to match that, raising his total to $20,000. So he’s increased his goal to $40,000.

“It’s a little ambitious, but I’m halfway there now,” he said by text from Washington, D.C.

His latest total can be seen here.

Blum typically rides between 40 and 100 miles per day, depending on terrain and conditions. He said he prefers hilly terrain because flat areas, while easier, can become boring.

He roughly planned out the ride before beginning the journey, but he’s approaching it day-by-day and making side trips to points of interest.

Traveling alone, Blum spends most nights camping, although friends along the route occasionally offer him a place to stay. When state parks are unavailable, he often relies on “stealth camping,” finding safe locations to pitch his tent or contacting churches to ask permission to stay on their property overnight.

“I’m doing it completely solo by myself,” he said. “I would have done it with friends, but no one’s crazy enough to do it with me.”

The ride has required constant flexibility and problem-solving. Blum said he quickly learned that carrying most of his gear over the rear wheel caused numerous flat tires because of the weight, prompting him to improvise modifications using spare materials to redistribute that weight.

“I’ve learned to be very resourceful,” he said. “I thought I was a pretty resourceful person before, but now, to live, I have to be resourceful.”

 

 

The experience also has given him a greater appreciation for everyday comforts.

“This has taught me to appreciate things like running water, like a house, even people to be around,” he said. “Sometimes it’s these six-hour days. It’s just me on my bike, and I’m just happy to talk to the gas station worker.”

Despite the physical demands, the journey has provided memorable experiences.

One of the most unexpected came just three days into the ride, when a stranger who followed Blum’s Instagram account invited him to go skydiving in Maine.

“It was awesome. It was invigorating,” Blum said. “It was a little scary at first. But once you just listen to the instructions and follow the instructor, I enjoyed the rest of it. Once the parachute came out, it was just absolute bliss.”

The trip also has helped him connect with future teammates on the Santa Clara rowing team. Blum said several rowers have offered him places to stay, creating friendships before he arrives on campus.

“I’ve already met six of my teammates, which none of the other freshmen have had the opportunity,” he said.

Among the highlights were ferry rides in Boston Harbor and New York Harbor, including his first close-up look of the Statue of Liberty.

“That was just phenomenal because I was there for the sunset as well,” he said. “So it made for great videos and pictures.”

Another person offered him a personal tour of the Capitol when he arrived in Washington, D.C.

As he continues his journey, Blum said he most looks forward to reconnecting with friends and family he has not seen in years.

But wherever the road leads, the ride remains anchored in the same purpose that inspired it. When told his mother would be proud of him, Blum replied: “I hope so. … Yeah, I think she would be as well.”

For Blum, the destination is Key West. The mission is his mother.