Double amputee Marine on 5,400 mile bike ride for charity

Double amputee Marine makes pit stop in Conshohocken on 5,400 mile bike ride for charity
The Times Herald
By Carl Rotenberg
POSTED: 11/08/13

CONSHOHOCKEN — Rob Jones, a double amputee U.S. Marine, bicycled from New Hope, Bucks County, to Conshohocken on Friday as part of his 5,400 mile journey across the United States to raise money for U.S. veterans.

While the hills of Whitemarsh appeared to slow his progress on the 30-mile trek, he arrived in Conshohocken at 3:30 p.m. on Washington Street in good spirits. The Residence Inn Marriott donated a room for the night and an area restaurant had made plans to feed Jones and his brother, Steve.

His goal is to raise $1 million for charities that include the Semper Fi Fund, Ride2Recovery and the Coalition to Salute America’s Heros, according to a press release.

Since losing both legs in an explosion in Afghanistan three years ago from an improvised explosive device, Jones has received a Purple Heart and was honorably discharged in 2011. Jones competed in the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London and brought home a Bronze medal in double skulls rowing.

While recovering from his war wounds, Jones learned for the second time how to ride on an upright bicycle using prosthetic legs built by Zach Harvey, his prosthetist, Brian Bartlett of Left Side Industries and Ray Clark of Ride to Recovery. Bartlett invented Jones’s prosthetic right leg. Clark helped Jones learn how to ride the 24-speed bicycle.

Jones’ prosthetic legs have cleats that attach them to the clipless pedals.
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