Bicyclist to Stop in DC during 9,000 Mile Lap Aroun...( Australian Geoff Thomas Just Isn't ...),Health

Australian Geoff Thomas Just Isn't Riding Across the United States, He's

Riding AROUND IT, Visiting Every Corner to Fulfill an Ambitious Goal

WASHINGTON, Sept. 14 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Australian Geoff Thomas will stop in Washington, DC next week after making headlines throughout the U.S. by cycling to all four corners of the country in what he says is the first trip of its kind to raise awareness for lupus, a chronic autoimmune disease that affects him and more than five million other individuals worldwide. Despite having lupus, Geoff has spent the past five months pedaling nearly 9,000 miles over mountains, through valleys, across deserts, and along the Pacific and Atlantic coast lines. He expects to return to his starting point in New York City later this month.

Geoff began his journey, "Bike USA 2007," on April 28. In 135 days, he has traveled through 25 states and is now making his way from Richmond, Virginia to Washington, DC. On September 19, at 3:00 p.m. Geoff will present a talk at the Australian Embassy to describe his bicycling adventure around the United States.

Geoff established a website, http://www.bikeusa2007.com, so his friends and family back home in Australia can track his progress. His Website includes photos of his journey and a journal to chronicle his adventure while in the U.S. He hopes to write a book about his travels through America when he returns to Australia.

This ride is particularly and personally meaningful to Geoff because in 2003 he was diagnosed with a form of lupus that affects his skin. Lupus is not as common among men -- only about ten percent of people with lupus are males. Geoff wants to raise awareness of lupus because it is a relatively unknown condition.

This is not Geoff's first major cross country bike ride. In 2003, Geoff rode 3,100 miles across Australia from coast to coast. His passion for travel has also taken him to
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