Buffalo, NY to Bethel, ME. One bike, seven days.
690 miles.
For my brothers.
Hi, I’m Nick Cornell. This summer I’m riding my bike from Buffalo, New York to Gould Academy in Bethel, Maine to raise $5,000 for Breakthrough T1D. My brothers Ben and Zach both live with Type 1 diabetes. Every mile is for them.
The official fundraiser page is almost ready. Check back soon!
Nick’s photo goes here
portrait coming soon, probably in a helmet
690 mi
7 days
690
miles
Buffalo to Bethel
7
days
camping along the way
$5,000
goal
for Breakthrough T1D
2
brothers
the reason for every mile
the two reasons are named Ben and Zach
Why I Ride
The Cornell crew
Ben, 21. Diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at age 8.
Zach, 18. Diagnosed at age 10. In 2021 he was also diagnosed with epilepsy related to his T1D.
Mom, Lori. Driving the follow car all 690 miles.
Nick. Youngest of four boys. The one on the bike.
I’m the youngest of Lori Cornell’s four boys, and two of my brothers live with Type 1 diabetes. Ben was diagnosed when he was eight years old. Zach was diagnosed when he was ten, and a few years ago he was also diagnosed with epilepsy connected to his T1D.
Growing up in our family, I saw what this disease asks of people every single day. I have felt the stress it puts on the kids who carry it and on the parents who carry it with them.
But I have watched something else happen too. In the years since my brothers were diagnosed, I have seen the real advancements that JDRF and Breakthrough T1D have made in technology and care, and I have seen how much lighter those advancements make the load our family carries.
Every dollar helps lift some of the weight that diabetics and their families carry on their backs.
That is why I’m riding. This trek is my senior project at Gould Academy, and every dollar raised goes to Breakthrough T1D so they can keep pushing research forward, for Ben, for Zach, and for every family like ours.
seven days, four states, one very loaded bike
The Route
Buffalo, NY
The start line. We roll out on the Erie Canal section of the Empire State Trail.
Albany, NY
Across the state on the canal path, with campsites and a follow car full of snacks.
Whitehall, NY
North to the spot where New York hands us off to Vermont.
Central Vermont
Up and over the Green Mountains, the hardest climbing of the trip.
Gorham, NH
Through the White Mountains and into the home stretch.
- ★
Bethel, ME
Gould Academy. The finish line, and the start of senior year.
Camping the whole way
Two friends are riding with me and we are camping each night along the route.
The follow car
My mom Lori is driving support the entire way with gear, food, and backup.
Live on Strava
We are tracking every mile and our pace on Strava so you can follow along.
route map graphic coming soon
Gould Academy’s four core values, carried 690 miles
Riding the Gould Way
This trek is my senior project at Gould, and it runs on the same four values the school does. Here is what each one looks like from the saddle.
could I actually do this?
Curiosity
This whole trek started with a question. Could I really ride from Buffalo to my school in Maine? Mapping the route, studying the trails, and learning what it takes to live on a bike for a week has been one long lesson, and I signed up for it on purpose.
for Ben, for Zach, for every T1D family
Kindness
This ride is for my brothers and for every family that carries Type 1 diabetes. Every conversation on the trail, every shirt, and every dollar raised is a small act of kindness pointed at a very big problem.
a fundraiser on two wheels
Creativity
A fundraiser does not have to be a bake sale. Custom shirts with a QR code, this website, a journal from the road. I am using every creative tool I have to get people to care about this cause.
my brothers show me how
Courage
Seven days of weather, mountains, and unknowns takes some nerve. But real courage is what Ben and Zach show every single day of their lives. When the hills get steep, that is what keeps the pedals turning.
follow the dotted line
The Trek Journal
Photos and updates posted from the road as we ride. Newest update first. Scroll down the trail to ride back in time.
No posts yet
the first update from the road lands here soon
the real journal starts when the wheels do
every single dollar goes to Breakthrough T1D
Help me cross the finish line
My goal is to raise $5,000 for Breakthrough T1D, the organization that has been changing life with Type 1 diabetes for families like mine. Your donation funds research, technology, and hope.
The official fundraiser page is almost ready.
the donate link will live right here
Share this site
Send it to a friend, post it in the group chat, or mention it at dinner. Every visit helps.
Say hi on the trail
Riding the Empire State Trail this August? Look for the T1D shirts with the QR code and come talk to us.
Follow the ride
The trip is being documented on Instagram and Facebook. Links are coming soon.