What this cyclist learned riding across America to support Veterans

South Dakotan Gage Matzen raised more than $14,000 for Veterans Community Project

Over 82 days and 3,996 miles, 27-year-old Gage Matzen biked across the United States and raised more than $14,000 to support those who took the oath to defend it.

Along the way, the South Dakota native says he learned something about Americans.

“People really do have a desire to be nice to their neighbors,” he says.

He tells the story, for example, of striking up a conversation with a man at a gas station who was interested in his journey and his mission to raise money to fix Veteran homelessness through Veterans Community Project. Right there on the spot, he donated $50 and became one of the 115 donors who helped Matzen triple his initial goal of $5,000. 

He began his journey in Yorktown, Virginia, with the Chesapeake Bay behind him, and concluded it in Seattle, Washington, with a foot in the Puget Sound. In between, he rode through the Appalachians, the Great Plains, the Rockies, Yellowstone, and the Cascades.

Matzen averaged around 50 miles per day, treating it like the 9-to-5 engineering job he left behind on a career sabbatical to take on the challenge. Most days began with a breakfast burrito and wrapped with hard-earned local meal. Some of his favorites? A spaghetti dinner with a host family in Virginia, a chicken korma dish in Washington, and a string of burger joints throughout Kansas.

His journey was fueled, too, by what he describes as PMA—or, a positive mental attitude. A mindset that was most tested, he laughs, by the hills of eastern Kentucky. In all seriousness, though, Matzen notes that PMA has been instrumental to his life over the past three years since he was hit head-on in a motor vehicle crash by a drunk driver in 2022. He suffered injuries to his ankle and foot severe enough to have to consider amputation. And although he eventually recovered, the endurance athlete was ordered by doctors to avoid higher-impact activities like jumping and running.

Thus, cycling became a bigger part of his life. So, too, did Veterans Community Project. He became a volunteer at VCP of Sioux Falls helping to build some of the first of 25 tiny homes for Veterans experiencing homelessness in the region.

“We had the opportunity to frame houses and hear some testimonials from Veterans,” Matzen said. “It just kind of struck home for me. Hearing their stories really solidified how awesome the organization is and why I wanted to help raise money for the mission.”

Already this year, supporters like Matzen have helped raised more than $450,000 for Veterans Community Project by channeling their passions into impact—ranging from 5K races and mountain climbing to trivia nights and bake sales. Every dollar raised makes a difference for Veterans and, in reflecting on his journey, Matzen shared a message with those who helped make it possible.

“Thank you, with all my heart,” he said. “Together, we are going to have a big impact on the Veterans who are going to change their lives through these tiny homes in the decades to come at VCP.”

Are you interested in raising money to support Veterans? Visit our host an event page to learn more about creative ways to drive—or, pedal—the mission forward.