Alumna Bikes Across America to Raise Funds for K–12 Physical Education

Until the pandemic, Christine Wilhoyte had never pedaled more than a few recreational miles at a time. Today, she’s more than 2,600 miles into a 4,700-mile journey across the United States, conquering mountains and flying through valleys to raise funds for physical education in rural and underfunded schools.

“Everything I did at Chico State helped prepare me for this,” she said. “Particularly having to solve problems and interact with a lot of different people. It’s really heartwarming to see my professors commenting on my posts and saying they are proud of me. I’m like, ‘Keep going, get up this hill for so-and-so.’”

Graduating with her bachelor’s degree in exercise physiology in May 2021, Wilhoyte had been active all her life, falling in love with soccer at age 6 and playing competitively until an injury took her off the field for two years in high school. She played club soccer for a season at Chico State also discovered numerous other outdoor activities that brought her joy.

Then, during COVID-19, her roommates, Stacey Longtin-Horton (Exercise Physiology, ’20) and mechanical engineering major Isaac Leker, who were bike mechanics, began to lure her out on rides in Upper Bidwell Park and around Chico as a way to be active when so much was shuttered. She was hooked.

“You can go so many places,” she said. “You can pack a lot of things with you, food and drinks and frisbees. It’s just a fun way to be outside and still do challenging things.”

She began reflecting on a family she met in 2018 who had ridden across the country on a three-seat bicycle and how fascinated she was by their journey, inspired to one day do something like it. As graduation loomed, what better time than now, she asked herself.

Wilhoyte reached out to kinesiology professor Steve Henderson, who gave her ideas and encouragement and connected her professor and physical education advocate Catrina Himberg. With their help, Wilhoyte came up with the idea for a charity she named Spoke48.

“Just as a spoke in a bicycle supports a bike during its long journey, quality physical education supports and empowers us in our bodies as we navigate our lives,” Wilhoyte explains. “The mission of Spoke48 is to inspire and empower folks through physical education to pursue the moments that make life worth fulfilling.”

She’s raised more than $4,500 toward her $10,000 goal. She plans to spend the funds on resources for students, such as equipment and workbooks; resources for teachers, such as continuing education and conferences; and in-person support, where she could lead workshops and assist teachers firsthand.

Supporting K–12 physical education just seems like the right thing to do, Wilhoyte said. In college, she worked as a physical therapy aide helping a variety of people regain their strength and physical abilities after injury, illness, and other issues, and she knew she had found her calling.

“A lot of it is empowering people and their bodies—and that is awesome. You give someone the tools to lead their happiest lives,” she said. “That is going to open up doors in so many ways. And so why not start with kids?”

While so much in public education is underfunded, rallying for physical education was a way to support social justice in a way that is meaningful to her.

She used the knowledge gained in her undergraduate studies to compose her own strength and conditioning plan, and began training until she hurt her back. She finally managed to build up to a 64-mile ride a few weeks before her launch date and then took time off to nurse an aching knee.

Pedaling out from Astoria Oregon, she eased her way into the longer distances with 20-and 40-mile days. Exhausted, she’d sleep for nearly 10 hours a night before hitting the road the next morning. She’s gradually learned how to fuel herself better, feasting on nuts, dried fruit, trail mix, oatmeal, beans and rice, and her new favorite, macaroni with spam.

Early into her trip, she held a weigh-in to raise bonus funds, challenging fans on Facebook to guess how much her bike weighed. It recently tipped the scales at 92 pounds, not counting water! Compared to other cyclists she’s met carrying a mere 30 pounds or so, she admits it’s a hefty haul when climbing hills, but worth it for a little luxury and comfort, including a zero-degree sleeping bag and her trusty guitar.

She’s following a route created by the Adventure Cycling Association, which maps out the entire journey, complete with tips on elevation, field notes, riding conditions, weather, and places to camp. After camping her way through Idaho, Montana and Wyoming, she’s now in Colorado and will continue to make her way through Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, and Michigan, stopping along the way to see national parks and other places of interest.

“I really like the idea that it goes through a lot of rural areas,” she said. “There is a whole side of the country that growing up in Northern California you don’t see. A big town here is 5,000 or 10,000 people. That perspective is something I really wanted.”

With several more weeks to go, Wilhoyte is focused on her journey, not the destination. Admittedly, she is not sure where the road leads once she reaches her final stop—which might be in New York or Virginia—but she wants to land a fulfilling career related to exercise physiology.

“In some way or another, I want to empower other people to maintain their potential,” she said.

She’s grateful every day to have the privilege to follow this dream, even at its most challenging. Some days, when she logs more than 70 miles, climbs more than 4,000 feet, or spends hours pushing against brutal headwinds or suffering through 90-degree temps, she reminds herself how lucky she is.

“To have the autonomy to be out here and to be self-supporting on a bicycling, riding in nature, seeing these beautiful things, touring the country, it’s incredible,” she said. “And it’s very humbling to climb a mountain and know no matter what, nature is always going to be stronger than me.”