Vitella rides cross country in 23 days

After the coronavirus canceled his iron man competition, Cape Henlopen High School alumnus Kai Vitella decided to take on the long, grueling task of riding across the country on a bicycle from San Diego to Florida.

He originally moved to California to experience a change of pace and got a job at General Dynamics NASSCO, a Navy shipbuilding company. 

After a few years in California, the 2015 Cape graduate decided he wanted to spend some time on the East Coast. He said, “I figured this would be a great way to see the country, do what I love, and utilize my training.”

Blisters, bruising, early mornings, late nights; basically, he had to go through all of the things that sound awful while riding a bicycle for an extended period of time. But he stayed determined and on May 18, with a welcoming committee of friends and family, Vitella completed his trip in Melbourne Beach, Fla., traveling about 3,000 miles in 23 days, averaging about 130 miles per day.

Vitella reflected on his experience: “I think that seeing how people live and the different lifestyles will really stick with me. From being in the middle of nowhere in the deserts and mountains, to crowded cities, people are able to survive in drastically different environments. It made me feel really lucky for everything that I have and the life I’m able to live.”

Following in a car full of essentials behind Kai was his dad Dave, who said, “I was just amazed at Kai's determination to just keep going and pushing through pain and difficult times … [he] kept pushing through and kinda wanted to do it for everybody.”

Only a few people get the chance to have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. When you can take that chance and achieve that goal, there is no denying the sense of pride and accomplishment. Thanks Kai, for taking us along for the ride!