Bicycle Bill passes through Troy

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TROY — William Galloway, 60, originally from New Jersey, is currently completing his 14th bicycle trip across the nation. On Tuesday, Nov. 15, Galloway stopped for the third time in Troy.

Galloway’s trip originally started on Oct. 14, 2017, after he recovered from being hit by a drunk driver in his home state of New Jersey. And he has not stopped since. So far he has travelled over 39,000 miles and has gone through three tricycles and five two-wheel trailers that he uses to carry his minimal belongings and gear.

“I got tired of the negatives and not knowing what to do so I decided to take off on a bicycle for my own good and that of others with disabilities because when nothing else is working, you have to go make it happen yourself,” said Galloway.

The trip all began when he was told that he could not get a job and contribute to society without losing his benefits and he could not find anyone to help advocate for him. He originally wanted to travel to California to receive help for his brain injury at Amen Clinic.

Now, he travels across country and has been to all 48 mainland states to spread the word and serve as an advocate for individuals dealing with the fears of having a disability. He also works to educate the public about individuals with disabilities and that those individuals are still capable human beings that could benefit from having a place in the workforce.

Galloway does not do this for the money. He simply wants to spread information and awareness across the United States. Since he does not work and solely travels on his bike, Galloway finds shelter to rest in fields, churches, post offices, fire stations and wherever various community members will allow him to stay. He has often received unfounded kindness from individuals that donate hotel rooms or areas of their own for him to get sleep.

Even though he has received multiple instances of kindness, there have also been hardships along the way. He has been run off the road numerous times, taken to the emergency room and even robbed a couple of times.

To help spread the word, Galloway has decked out his tricycle with a sign that shows people why he is biking across the country. His sign reads, “criss crossing the country. Brain injury awareness,” and also has his Zelle, Venmo, Cashapp, PayPal and GoFundMe links in case anyone would like to help him “keep these wheels turning.” Any money donated goes to helping Galloway stay stocked up on food and water and keep his tricycle in safe, running order.

You can follow Galloway’s journey on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009204827318. His PayPal link is https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/williamg799. You can also donate via Zelle by searching William Galloway, on GoFundMe at https://www.gofundme.com/f/1unkavga40?utm_medium=social&utm_source=instagram&utm_campaign=p_nacp+share-sheet, on Venmo at @William-Galloway-35 and on CashApp at $bicyclebill07.

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