mage of a group of bikers traveling through desert landscape

Students and their parents bike through the mountains in Southern California on April 17.

Juan Sun (bike riders); Shutterstock.com (all other images)

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The Ultimate Road Trip

Last spring, dozens of fifth-graders rode their bikes more than 260 miles across California.

August 25, 2025
By Brian Fitzgerald

As You Read, Think About: Would you want to ride a bike across your home state?

What did you do during spring break this year? Eleven-year-old Elsa Zhang spent her week off from school riding her bike from one side of her home state to the other. She was one of 57 fifth-graders who took part in the Ride Across California in April. 

Along with their parents, the kids rode more than 260 miles, from the Colorado River to the Pacific Ocean (see map, below). Elsa says the trip was unlike anything she had done before.

“It’s not like you bike 15 miles in one day and you’re done,” she says. “You need a lot of perseverance.”

Welcome to California
Watch a video to take a tour of California.

Getting Ready

Fifth-grade teacher Dennis Bueker came up with the idea for the Ride Across California in 1991. He saw the trip as a way to help kids develop a can-do attitude and build self-confidence before they start middle school. Fifth-graders from schools in and around San Diego have made the week-long journey every year since.

But first they have to spend months preparing. Elsa, her dad, and the other riders started training last October. The kids were required to rack up at least 350 hours on their bikes. They had to build the stamina they’d need during a journey that would take them through the desert, down bumpy dirt roads, and over mountains. Elsa says she felt like giving up a couple of times during the hardest training rides, but she stuck with it.

On the Road

Starting on April 13, all that training was put to the test. The Ride Across California began near the state’s border with Arizona. The temperature was about 90 degrees Fahrenheit. The riders traveled 17 miles—the shortest distance of any day during the trip.

On the other days, they biked for 30 to 60 miles, taking breaks for snacks and lunch. Parents and volunteers watched the kids closely and made sure they had plenty of water. In the evening, everyone set up tents at campsites. One of Elsa’s favorite memories was listening to Bueker tell ghost stories around the campfire. But most nights, she was mainly focused on getting some rest. 

“You’re just so tired,” Elsa explains. “You just want to eat dinner and then conk out on your bed.”

The riders’ biggest challenge came on the fifth day of the trip. They had to pedal up a section of Route 78 called Banner Grade, which climbs into the mountains.

“Banner Grade is basically 6 miles uphill, and it’s really twisty,” Elsa says. “So you bike a long time and you’re like, ‘Oh man, I only went this far?’”

Big Finish 

The fifth-graders’ week on the road ended on April 19. As they pedaled around Mission Bay in San Diego, the riders were greeted by a cheering crowd of family and friends. Elsa says she was proud that all her hard work paid off. 

“It feels great because you can scratch doing an impossible thing off your list,” she says.

Let’s Visit California

This year, California is celebrating its 175th anniversary as a state. It became the 31st state in September 1850. Here’s a look at the Golden State.

Jim McMahon/Mapman®

1. The discovery of gold at Sutter’s Mill in Coloma in 1848 set off the California Gold Rush.

2. The area nicknamed Silicon Valley is home to many of the world’s biggest technology companies, including Apple and Google.

3. About two-thirds of the nation’s fruits and nuts are grown in California, mainly in the Central Valley.

4. The General Sherman Tree in Sequoia National Park is the biggest tree by volume in the world. 

5. The hottest temperature ever recorded on Earth was in Death Valley in 1913. It was a scorching 134 degrees Fahrenheit!

6. Hollywood has been known as the movie capital of the world for more than 100 years. 

1. Based on the article, why did Dennis Bueker create the Ride Across California in 1991?

2. What is the meaning of the word stamina? What are two details in the article that help show that the students’ trek required stamina?

3. Based on the sidebar, “Let’s Visit California,” why do you think California is known as the Golden State?

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