AustraLearn 2004 Participant To Ride Bike From New York To California In Memory Of His Dad

By Stacey Hartmann

The bicycle ride of Andrew Ratzlaff’s life begins this week as he pedals the first of 4,400 miles across the United States to honor his late father and others who have battled lymphoma.

Andrew Ratzlaff, an alumnus of the AustraLearn program, will soon begin his solo cross-country bike ride this week to raise awareness about lymphoma.

The 27-year-old alumnus of the AustraLearn study abroad program is packed and ready to begin his summer-long “A Ride Against Lymphoma” in New York City, where he has worked as a freelance video editor since 2009.

The journey will take him across the back roads and highways of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Oregon and California.

The purpose? To raise awareness about lymphoma, a type of blood cancer that occurs when lymphocytes begin behaving abnormally, and generate donations – his goal is $15,000 – for the Lymphoma Research Foundation.

“My dad died in 2001 after a nine-month battle with Burkitt’s Lymphoma, hence the cause, charity and title or this ride,” he writes on his  blog. “He was an avid cyclist and yearned for long treks and journeys. I imagine if he were still around he’d join me and pedal every single mile of the way. So as much as this ride is for me, it is for my dad, my family and all those affected by the illness.”

Ratzlaff’s longest bicycle ride to date? 170 miles.

But outdoor adventure is nothing new to him. As a youngster, he camped, bicycled and backpacked frequently with his family, including overnight treks while living in Korea and other parts of the world because of his father’s military service.

“A Ride Against Lymphoma” is already is getting some notice from the media, including News For Good, which posted a video on Ratzlaff here; the New Jersey Herald, which posted an article here; and the  Sun Gazette, which posted an article here.

“He was always into backpacking, camping and just getting out there,” Ratzlaff says of his dad, Roger Ratzlaff. “I think that’s definitely where I get my passion and drive to always be outside.”

When Andrew Ratzlaff was 10, his family settled down in Parker, Colo., where he eventually graduated from Ponderosa High School.

Andrew Ratzlaff with his dad and mom before his dad's passing due to Burkitt's Lymphoma.

It was during that time, in December of 2000, when doctors found a tumor in his dad’s lung caused by Burkitt’s Lymphoma.

“I can remember when he told me,” Ratzlaff says. “I talked to my mom and her voice didn’t sound right. Then I talked to him and he said, ‘Sit down. I have cancer.’”

For nine months, Ratzlaff and his family watched his father fight the disease. At one point, in July, doctors thought they’d wiped out the cancer. But one week later, they found it had actually returned.

“From there, it was just a downward spiral,” Ratzlaff says.

On Sept. 20, 2001, Roger Ratzlaff lost his nine-month battle against the lymphoma.

At the time of his dad’s passing, Andrew Ratzlaff was just 18 and a freshman at the University of Colorado at Boulder.

The loss sent his life into a brief tailspin.

“Since my dad passed, I have definitely taken risks,” he writes on his blog, “and basically traveled as much as possible.”

“To lose a person who had always been there for me was a devastating blow and something I really was not prepared for,” he writes.  “Fortunately, I have a very close family. My mom is the absolute best and has always given me nothing but support. And I have a brother who is two years younger than I, and we all just stuck together and pushed onward.”

For some time, Ratzlaff struggled to figure out what to do with his studies, switching from electrical engineering and then to business before settling on film school.

“Even with the support, and at 18 years old, I became more confused than ever,” he writes. “I began to question life. ‘What’s it all about? What’s the reason for anything? Why struggle? Why not just do what I like?’”

He didn’t necessarily find answers to his big questions, but he did find solace in outdoor adventure and travel, including six months studying abroad in 2004 at the University of Waikato in Hamilton, New Zealand, through the AustraLearn program.

Andrew Ratzlaff backpacked through many of New Zealand's scenic areas while studying abroad there.

He studied marketing, art and film, and spent each weekend backpacking across New Zealand’s cabin and hut system.

“After I finished my semester,” he says, “I went and hitchhiked around the country for six weeks.”

The experience gave him confidence in the basic goodness of others, which is why he isn’t worried how he’ll be treated while riding a bicycle across the United States.

“I don’t even think about it being dangerous or unsafe,” he says. “I think it will be fine. I think most people are genuinely nice and kind people.”

He plans a pace of about 25-150 miles a day, with stops at national and state parks and private campgrounds, including many through GoCampingAmerica.com, one of his sponsors and a nationwide source for private parks and campgrounds.

Some friends, especially in Colorado, plan to join him for parts of his ride, which will include a steep climb on Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park to cross the Continental Divide.

“I’ve had plenty of people say, I’d like to do a day, three days, maybe a week,” he says, “and I say, ‘welcome.’”

To follow Ratzlaff’s “A Ride Against Lymphoma,” subscribe to his his blog, and follow him on Facebook and Twitter.

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