Cyclists can ride with Markell on final leg

Former Delaware Gov. Jack Markell is nearing the end of his 3,680-mile bicycle ride across the U.S.A.

Riding for Motivate The First State, every pedal he takes raises money for youth charities in the state.

Markell will cycle from Wilmington to Rehoboth Beach and dip his bike tires in the Atlantic Ocean around 2 p.m., Monday, Aug. 7.

Cyclists are encouraged to join him on the last leg of his journey. They can cycle from Dogfish Head Brewery parking lot in Milton starting at 12:30 p.m. and Cape Henlopen High School parking lot at 1:30 p.m. Organizers of the event suggest that cyclists arrive at least 15 minutes prior to the scheduled time.

Starting June 18 in Astoria, Ore., Markell will have cycled through 10 states and one Canadian province when he finishes, stopping in nearly 50 towns and cities. Taking a northern route, he crossed Lake Michigan by ferry and biked across Ontario to Niagara Falls before entering New York. He's made stops at national landmarks along the way including Mount Rushmore and the Badlands.

Cycling friends joined Markell along the route. To see a diary of his trip, go to JackChallenge.org.

Since its inception in June 2015, Motivate the First State has helped almost 3,500 Delawareans log 650,000 miles of activities, effectively earning over $72,000 for local charities. Markell is challenging the people of Delaware to log 350,000 more miles this summer to reach a milestone of 1 million miles logged.

The program allows Delawareans to log their healthy activities via an online platform and the Plus3 mobile app. It makes every mile count for participants by converting their healthy activities to dollars for charity.

To create a profile and get involved to help Markell reach his goal, go to MotivateTheFirstState.com.