Roughly 40 veterans hopped on their bikes on the morning of Jan. 5 at VFW Post 10211 in Key Largo, pedaling down the Keys to the Southernmost City for the annual Wounded Warrior Project’s Florida Keys Soldier Ride. Some men and women who valiantly served their country and were injured in combat pedaled on adaptive bicycles. Participants made several stops along the two-day journey, including Coral Shores High School, Postcard Inn Beach Resort & Marina and Marathon Fire Station, where they were met with cheers by members of the public waving flags and wearing red, white and blue. On Jan. 6, warriors were joined by community members for an island ride with stops at historic Key West military sites. On Jan. 7, the group visited Marathon’s Dolphin Research Center. The Soldier Ride is organized annually by the Wounded Warrior Project to raise public awareness and support for the needs of severely injured members of the military.
Photos by Larry Blackburn, Jim McCarthy, Dolphin Research Center and Andy Newman.
Wounded veterans and their supporters ride adaptive and regular bicycles on the Florida Keys Overseas Highway’s iconic Seven Mile Bridge, Friday, Jan. 5, 2024, near Marathon, Fla. Organized by the Wounded Warrior Project, the Florida Keys Soldier Ride has 40 wounded veterans participating in weekend events in the Keys that end with an interactive session with dolphins on Sunday, Jan. 7. The Wounded Warrior Project provides inspiration and programs to help veterans recover from debilitating physical or mental injuries sustained while serving in the military. (Andy Newman/Florida Keys News Bureau/HO) 
