HENRICO COUNTY, Va. β A 64-year-old substitute teacher in Henrico is embarking on an extraordinary journey to inspire his students: biking 1,400 miles from Virginia to New Orleans.
David Lannes, known to students as "the sub that comes to school on his bike," will travel through eight states and 20 cities over two weeks, averaging 65 to 90 miles per day. His unique twist? Every stop will feature a Five Guys restaurant.
"All the cities I'm stopping at all have Five Guys," Lannes said. "It was just a fun hook for the kids, they all think, like, how can somebody eat hamburgers and french fries 20 days in a row?"
But this journey isn't about the food β it's about inspiring students to push beyond their comfort zones.
"I just want them to realize they can take on a challenge," Lannes said. "I'm trying to get them to stretch themselves a little bit, dream big and, you know, do something that's out of their comfort zone, that's all."
The lifelong learner has created an interactive website where students can follow his progress and learn about the history and geography of each city he visits. Having previously biked across the country when he was younger, Lannes knows the physical demands ahead but remains determined to complete the journey with his students in mind.
"I just want to be an inspiration to the kids and I can't just sit around and do nothing," Lannes said.
As a special touch, Lannes will carry the Nuckols Farm Elementary School mascot β a little fox β attached to the front of his bike throughout the entire trip.
"The mascot here at Nuckols farm is the little fox, so we're going to latch this to my bike, to the front of my bike and this is going to be my mascot for the trip," Lannes said.
Students at Nuckols Farm Elementary School will gather Monday morning to cheer Lannes on as he begins his inspiring journey from the Short Pump area to his home city of New Orleans. People can follow his progress at journeydavid.com.
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