187th Fighter Wing member bikes across U.S. to raise money for charity.

MONTGOMERY REGIONAL AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Ala. -- Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu famously said "the journey of a thousand miles begins with one step". For Master Sgt. Jody Hershbine, 187th Maintenance Management Analysis, his journey began with a pedal.

On July 6, 2015, Hershbine started his journey of bicycling across the United States. Leaving from Savannah, Ga., Hershbine will bike over 3,500 miles west to Astoria, Ore.

"I wanted to start off dipping one foot in the Atlantic Ocean and finish with the other foot in the Pacific Ocean," said Hershbine. "I plan on riding 100 to 120 miles a day. That will give me some slack for when I get to the Rocky Mountains."

This extreme bike ride is not just a chance for him to see the country. Hershbine is using the trek as a chance to raise money for the Wounded Warrior Project charity. Hershbine said, "As I trek across the country I hope to spread the word and get people to go to my site and donate so that I can see how much I can raise by going across the United States."

Hershbine has set up a website to track his progress trekking across America. The website has daily updates as well as a button where people can donate to the Wounded Warrior Project. "I wrote an app for my phone that whenever I stop it will send my geolocation every day to update a database that will keep up with my location" said Hershbine.

With the exception of daily food, everything Hershbine needs will be mounted onto his bike. "I have front and rear saddle bags that carry my camping gear, cooking tools, change of clothes, spare parts and repair tools," said Hershbine. "I also have a portable stove for cooking at night. With everything loaded, my bike will weigh about 150 lbs."

To keep the weight on his bike down, Hershbine will buy his food every night along the way. "I will buy food to cook on my portable stove before I set up for the night" said Hershbine. "I do have an emergency Meals Ready to Eat in one of my bags." During the road trip, he will have no support team to assist. Any issues that arise will have to be tackled alone.

Hershbine is no stranger to lengthy bike rides. He has biked from his hometown Birmingham, Ala. to Chicago, Ill., and from Birmingham, Ala., to Cleveland, Ohio. "This is by far the longest, most challenging ride I will have done," said Hershbine. "My family is obviously nervous, but very supportive of me. This has been on my bucket list for a long time."

To check Hershbine's progress, or make a donation, visit www.crankingoutadventure.com