The Bike Ride to Pepperdine was first launched in the spring of 2003 as a Gamma Sigma Phi fundraiser when 12 ambitious Kinsmen set out to raise over $5,000 for Habitat for Humanity by biking more than 1,400 miles from Abilene, TX, to Malibu, CA. Inspired by the daring feats of previous pledge classes (like running to Arkansas or playing basketball for 25 hours straight to break a world record) the group was determined to push their limits. And push they did. The ride was a resounding success: they completed the grueling journey, raised funds for a great cause, made an appearance on The Price is Right, earned recognition from the Texas House of Representatives, and, most importantly, established a legacy. The event became a cornerstone tradition of the club’s history that was repeated by future generations through the late 2000s.

Fast forward to 2024. The Bike Ride to Pepperdine hasn’t been accomplished for nearly two decades. To the public, it’s little more than a forgotten legend, and to current members, it’s something they’ve only heard about in tall tales from alumni and seen in old video footage. But like all great ideas, it only took one message to bring it back to life. On the way home from a Gregory Alan Isakov concert on March 2, 2024, Sam O’Quinn and Mason Hejl decided to send a message to their senior pledge groupchat:

“Like this message if you’d be interested in biking to Pepperdine spring break of our senior year”

And just like that, the wheels were set in motion once again. Recruitment began to assemble the team that grew to the 11 that are committed today. The group landed on raising money for Greater than Three Outreach due to their personal connection to the charity and the Pepperdine Strong Fund to support the recent tragedy of the Malibu fires. The group has set an ambitious goal of $68,000 and 50% of the money raised will be attributed to each.

Follow along on our journey as we raise money for Greater than Three Outreach and the Pepperdine Strong Fund through biking.