Trey Poche: From Oregon to Baton Rouge by bike

Cyclist Trey Poché trekked 3,500 miles to raise money for Baton Rouge Youth Coalition. Photo by Allie Appel

Two months and roughly 3,500 miles later, Trey Poche finally put the brakes on his bike. He ended his long trek in front of Tiger
Stadium.

Poche, a Baton Rouge native, spent his summer a little differently than the average college student. He set out on a cross-country bike ride to raise funds for the Baton Rouge Youth Coalition, an organization that mentors under-resourced high school students to prepare them for college.

Poche, 20, flew from Baton Rouge to Portland, Oregon, shipping his bike with him. Then he traveled southwest on the TransAmerica Trail until he made it back to the Capital City.

He spent about five to seven hours per day cycling, not including stops for food and rest, averaging about 60 miles per day. He lugged with him about 50 pounds of supplies including food, clothes and a tent.

Poche says his emotional and physical state changed in stages throughout the trip.

Because of the way the route is designed, he actually traveled away from his destination during the first couple of days.

“That was the hard part,” he says. “I wasn’t in shape for all that cycling yet, and I was moving away from my goal. It all seemed kind of hopeless.”

But then the euphoria set in. In the second and third weeks, he says he was brimming with independence and a sense of empowerment.

Poche says the journey brought him to a level of self-discovery he never thought possible. He wants to take another trip soon, and he says he recommends a similar journey to everyone.

“In order to find fulfillment in anything, you have to apply yourself fully to it,” he says. “Cycling completely absorbed my time and efforts, and through that, I found great happiness. The difficulties didn’t matter.”

Poche’s goal was to raise $3,500 to match the miles he rode, but by his arrival on Aug. 8, he had far surpassed that—reaching $7,500.