UK / AGILITYPR.NEWS / July 24, 2026 / Aaron Moon will spend up to 12 hours in the saddle every day on the gruelling non-stop challenge which he hopes to complete in 22 days later this month and raise around £100,000 for military charities.

The 39-year-old, who was injured in 2009 when his armoured vehicle hit an IED, has refused to be defined by the incident and became a professional golfer, the world’s first indoor skydive instructor and a motivational speaker as part of his recovery.

“It is a daunting challenge but I want to do it to show that no matter what you’ve been through in life, no matter how low, you can fight back. I want to inspire people that you can overcome any set back and achieve your goals,” he says.

“Everybody has their own Route 66 in life and I want everyone to have the belief they can face theirs. People are feeling that life is a bit tough and that we are living in an uncertain world at the moment so the message is maybe a little more important.”

Aaron, from Wigan, Lancashire, who also survived a life-threatening blood clot last year, has branded the challenge riding from Chicago to Santa Monica, California, as: ‘One leg. One Mindset. One hell of a ride.’

He starts pedalling on July 30 and is hoping to raise significant funds for Blesma, the Limbless Veterans, and two other forces’ charities.

“Blesma were there for me in the darkest times when I was first injured and have helped me throughout my recovery as well as on this challenge so it would be great to give back to them and others,” he adds.

Aaron has been riding up to eight hours a day, on the roads and on a static bike, to get used to the physical and psychological demands he will face on Route 66, which skirts Death Valley, where temperatures can hit 120F. He will be supported by a friend driving an RV where he will sleep after his daily ride.

“I’ve seen myself finish the ride 100 times in my head so I’m confident about my mind set but the physical side is going to be brutal,” he says. “I will have to look after my stump because it will take so much pressure from the pedalling and I need to make sure I eat well.

“The toughest part will be Death Valley because the road is long and straight and the scenery doesn’t change and I’m also concerned about wild dogs that roam around in packs and will probably be quite interested in a lone cyclist.

“It will be a huge physical effort but I’m really looking forward to it and meeting people along the way and spreading the message about what you can achieve with the right mindset and resilience.

“I’m going to experience pain and my body will be a mess at the end - that will fade away but the journey will live forever and, I hope, inspire people for years to come. I want people to see that if I can do this, they can conquer their Route 66.”

Aaron’s expedition, which has been sponsored by Spectra Group and Blesma, has been incorporated into the iconic Route 66’s 100^th Anniversary celebrations. He will be raising funds for Blesma, The Wounded Warrior Project and Rock2Recovery