The Palisades Wildfire that ravaged Los Angeles at the beginning of 2025 left over 10,000 structures destroyed and 37,469 acres burned. According to NBC, over 200,000 people had to evacuate from their homes, with hundreds losing their homes, and 29 people were left dead by the end of the blaze.
In the end, damages from the wildfire surpassed $20 billion, making this fire the largest in Los Angeles’ history. The smoke from the wildfires was visible here in Michigan. Now, 6 months after the fires were contained, two best friends from Caledonia have decided on a bombastic idea to try raising some money: bicycling 2,400 miles from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles.
Two Friends, One Massive Goal
Now that the depressing news has been established, let’s turn to the more lighthearted part of this story. Life-long best friends Mikey Vansuilichem and Tommy Gehl II wrapped up their schooling in May, with Mikey completing his second Bachelor’s in Medical Laboratory Science, and Tommy completing his Master’s Degree in Management…