Retired doctor to bike across the country as fundraiser for students dealing with loss

On Sunday, 63-year-old Jeff Mandel, a retired Park Nicollet doctor, will get on his bicycle in Costa Mesa, Calif. and begin riding east. He plans to pedal across the entire country to Amesbury, Mass. — a journey of some 3,500 miles.

Mandel is riding to raise money for an organization called Growing Through Grief, which offers free counseling to students who are dealing with loss. MPR News host Cathy Wurzer spoke with Mandel about the journey. You can follow along with Mandel's ride at his blog.