For Joe Lariscy, a Wall Street job led to a cross country bike trip full of camping, diners, roadkill and fundraising.

Lariscy, a 2007 University alumnus, is riding from San Francisco to St. Simons, Ga., with friends Greg Stahl and Leigh Beckins to raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

“I was working in New York with Greg and we were finishing our two-year analyst program at J.P. Morgan,” Lariscy said.

The two thought about what they wanted to do next and decided they wanted to do something meaningful.

“We thought about Make-A-Wish and thought it was something we could get behind,” Lariscy said. “Everyone has causes that are close to their hearts.”

He also said since they would be riding across the country, they wanted to support a national organization – such as the Make-A-Wish foundation – rather than a cause that was region-specific.

Lariscy, Stahl and Beckins began their journey of 4,000 miles on Sept. 2 in San Francisco and plan to finish on Oct. 29 in St. Simons.

The group is averaging 70 miles daily, but has covered more than 100 miles on several occasions. The group has biked across four time zones and nine states – California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee and Georgia – in their ride from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean.

On the way, they have passed through “lots of small-town America,” Lariscy said. “We’ve eaten at a lot of diners, been through a lot of small towns, done a lot of camping.”

One night, the group camped out in an abandoned house offered to them by a stranger they met.

“I never was much of a camper growing up, so that was a new experience for me,” Lariscy said.

The trip has afforded them plenty of opportunities to enjoy the countryside, but has also put them in the path of “countless pieces of roadkill across the country and the smell that goes along with [it],” Lariscy said.

On most nights, the group camps. But once or twice a week – when it’s raining or they want a hot shower, for example – the trio will stay in a hotel room.

Although some of the toughest parts of the trip have been mountains and headwinds, Lariscy faced an additional obstacle. Before this trip, he had never been much of a bike rider.

“I never rode a bike, really, until I started training for this trip about a month before,” he said.

But he said that benefits the Make-A-Wish cause even more.

“Part of it was wanting to do something that was really ambitious and would grab people’s attention, so we could get more awareness out there,” he said.

Lariscy, Stahl and Beckins have raised money by sending out letters and e-mails asking for donations from family and friends and have held fundraisers in cities along their path.

Their efforts have raised about $15,000 so far for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

They hope to raise a total of $25,000 by the end of the trip. Make-A-Wish will use the money to grant wishes to children facing life-threatening medical conditions.

Typical wishes include a trip to Disney World, a shopping spree or a chance to meet a famous athlete.

An average wish costs $7,362, according to the Make-A-Wish Foundation’s Web site.

“When the guys started out, their goal was to raise enough money to grant a wish for a child in every state they passed through,” said Ruthann Lariscy, Joe’s mother and an advertising and public relations professor in the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication.

Ruthann – who is helping the trio raise money for the cause – said the Make-A-Wish Foundation grants wishes to children with critical medical conditions, such as children who are undergoing chemotherapy for cancer or waiting for a heart transplant.

During his time at the University, Joe served as president of the Interfraternity Council.

The Interfraternity Council has donated to his cause – Bike for Wishes.

“We’ve met some really generous people who have opened their homes and apartments and given us food,” Joe said.

On Saturday, the group will hold a fundraiser in downtown Athens at City Bar.

They will sell bracelets for $5 that entitle the wearer to a discount on mixed drinks and beer from 8 p.m. to midnight at the bar.

Students can purchase the bracelets today in the Tate Student Center Plaza from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., or from Ruthann in room 223B in the Journalism building.

“Supposedly, they’ve already sold a couple hundred of these bracelets, which is great,” said Daniel Simmons, owner of City Bar and friend of Joe.

As the bikers approach Athens, Joe encouraged everyone to come to the fundraiser and support Make-A-Wish.

“We’re in the home stretch. We’re really excited about coming into Athens for the fundraiser,” he said. “Even though it’s only been seven weeks, it feels like it’s been six months.”