German cyclist stays overnight at Newton fire station before finishing coast-to-coast tour

Jörg Richter is living the dream, and that is not something he takes for granted.

The German cyclist and former firefighter — who stayed overnight at the Newton Fire Department on June 28 — is traveling across the United States to raise awareness about children suffering from rare diseases. His wish is for a world where all children have the chance to live their dreams.

For Richter, he had always dreamt of cycling the United States, from the Golden Gate Bridge to The Statue of Liberty, ever since he was a kid. But the dream had been postponed for years. In 2014, Richter’s three best friends died, and that was when he decided he “was not going to postpone anything anymore.”

Rather than cycle for only his personal pleasure, Richter wanted a deeper sense of inspiration to push him through the long trek. He found a nonprofit organization that he could represent. By cycling as an ambassador for Care-for-Rare America since 2015, Richter is bringing awareness to a worldwide initiative.

Richter, 62, is now riding his eighth coast-to-coast tour, which began in March at San Francisco. He plans to finish the route by September at New York. He has ridden other tours in Europe, too. In 2017, Richter rode more than 1,200 miles from Munich, Germany, to Madrid, Spain.

Shortly after that long ride, Richter decided he would have to quit his job as a coach and speaker for the biggest health insurance company in Germany. Before that, he worked as a firefighter. That past experience is incorporated into his tours, as he relies heavily on the hospitality of firehouses across America.

At Newton Fire Department, Richter was welcomed by Fire Chief Jarrod Wellik and the rest of his staff. The fire station offered him a bed for the night, which Richter was very appreciative of. The fellowship from firefighters is strong, and he enjoys the connections he makes. Richter says he has stayed in 400 stations.

“There were about 200 stations alone in the U.S., and about 200 in all the European (countries),” Richter said. “So it’s the same stuff worldwide, even if you don’t speak the language. I don’t speak Danish, Czech or Polish at all, but saying, ‘Hey, colleague!’ And the door is open.”

Previous tours have brought him through Iowa and the Midwest, although this was Richter’s first time in Newton. When he visited the Hawkeye State about four years ago, he just happened to bike a week before RAGBRAI. Locals teased him that he was too early.

Richter had kind words for Iowa. As someone who averages 50 to 60 miles per day on a tour and various feet of elevation, Richter said Iowa is not as flat as people think it is. Some riding days in Iowa are pretty tough. Before arriving to Newton, he rode 50 miles through strong headwinds and 2,000 feet of elevation.

People used to give Richter grief and have asked him why he decides to come back to places like Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota.

“I met the most gorgeous, best, beautiful, friendly people in these states where nobody wants to go,” Richter said. “So I’m back!”

In Cedar Rapids, Richter met with local TV media to talk about his cause, his tour to New York and his message to never wait on your dreams. For some children who struggling with rare diseases, they are unsure what tomorrow will hold. Richter keeps that in mind when he is on the road.

Richter’s bucket list of traveling the United States on bicycle was finished in 2015. To him, that was “the cheesecake.” Everything else that has happened in the years afterward in the United States and Europe has been “the cream on the cheesecake.”

“Every day is a special, nice, red cherry on the cream on the cheesecake,” he said. “You can’t pay someone for stuff like that. I’m so thankful I’m able to do it still. There are so many of these people have died. There are so many kids I see in the hospitals who will never fulfill dreams like that.”

That is why Richter rides. If he can conjure enough awareness, encourage people to donate to Care-for Rare-America and thus find ways to treat — or even cure — rare diseases, perhaps they can one day live out their dreams. In the meantime, Richter shares this message to all:

“Don’t postpone your dreams,” he said. “Don’t wait until you’re retired.”

Contact Christopher Braunschweig at 641-792-3121 ext 6560 or cbraunschweig@newtondailynews.com