For ultra-endurance cyclist Daniel Connell, a long grueling bike ride is…
"My happy place!" he exclaimed.
"Everesting" is the endurance challenge of riding a bike to the elevation of Mount Everest within 24 hours. Connell did that last year.
"And then for some reason, I decided this year that I wanted to do that twice," Connell said.
"Double Everesting" is a rare and extremely challenging feat, where a rider must climb 58,058 feet — the height of two Mount Everests — in one ride.
"It took me 43 hours," Connell recalled.
130 cyclists showed up to help Connell complete the challenge as he climbed Old San Marcos Road in Santa Barbara 50 times.
Among his supporters was longtime friend Mario Mendez who rode alongside Connell for several hours.
"I did like two or three laps until the sun started rising. That’s when you hit that wall," Mendez said.
They pushed through, one pedal stroke at a time.
"In my opinion, it's more about the personal journey with these events, more so than the end result or time or any statistic like that, and to have that journey and incorporate the community into it as well, it just amplifies the experience," Connell said.
All the hours, miles, and teamwork helped raise $18,000 for Doctors without Borders.
