LATHAM, N.Y. -- "Make the hills a little lower...Grant happiness to all those who ride this day," a priest said to a group of bicyclists getting ready to leave their Albany County rest stop.

After biking 3,200 miles - from LA to Latham, New York - Don Berens and the group prayed the 180 miles to Boston would end without incident.

"We've had all kinds of adventures including sand storms and hail storms and headwinds," said Berens.

The Loudonville man dreamed of biking across country for years - seeing America from a perspective few others choose to see it from, if only because pedaling 80 miles a day isn't so easy. That is, except when Mother Nature helps out.

"Fifty mile-an-hour winds blew behind us and without pedaling," Berens said. "We were going 35 miles an hour on the flats. It was like being a sail on the ocean. It was remarkable."

"I did visit him in Albuquerque and Sante Fe, New Mexico and went out to Erie, Pennsylvania," said his wife, Maureen Farley. "So this is the third time I've seen him since he began on May 11."

"So no cross country trip for you then?" I asked her.

"No, I'm kind of around the neighborhood if that. Not 80 miles a day," she laughed.

His wife is supportive and glad her husband's ride has been relatively smooth. But it wasn't when many of the riders from around the world nearly called it quits after eating salmonella-tainted tomatoes a few weeks ago.

"He was one of the lucky ones," said Farley. "They got that salmonella food poisoning out in New Mexico. He was one of the ones who didn't go to the salad bar."

"That took down some of us for a couple of days," Berens said. "We've had some crashes. But almost everyone is on the bike."

And this isn't just a race for Don...it's a race to make a difference in the Capital Region. He's raising money for Catholic Charities.

Albany Diocese Bishop Howard Hubbard stopped to wish everyone well before Berens and the group took off. He explained how important Berens' effort is.

He said, "We have to look for more creative ways to try to raise money to respond to the needs of those who are hurting in these very difficult economy."

"I didn't know what a cross country bike trip would be like or a fund raiser for Catholic Charities would be like. Right now we're pretty close to $30,000," Berens said.

Of course, for this group of bicyclists, it really isn't a race. There is no first place. No last place. Only the ability to say you achieved your lifelong dream - helping others along the way.