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Mike Buonaiuto Jr. and Nate Frankoski cross the Texas state line.

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Watch video of plea to be on the Ellen DeGeneres Show

 By Paula Detwiller

    With the provocative slogan “Biking for Boobies,” two recent graduates of Florida Atlantic University have embarked on a cross-country bicycle ride to raise money for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

    They’re riding 3,700 miles from Boca Raton to Los Angeles because it’s there. Breast cancer, that is.

    “We have a heart for those at risk of losing a breast or losing their life,” said 23-year-old Mike Buonaiuto Jr., one of the riders, in a news release. “This bike ride is our way of giving back to those who have already struggled so much. And it’s way less cliché than going backpacking in Europe after graduation.”

    Buonaiuto, of Boca Raton, and his riding partner, Nate Frankoski, 27, of Lantana, shoved off from Key West on Aug. 24. By the time you read this, the pair should be more than halfway through their 75-day journey, somewhere in the middle of Texas. They carefully planned each overnight stay in advance, with the help of a website that connects travelers with home hosts. 

    “We cherish the finer things in life,” Buonaiuto told me from a stop in Lafayette, La. “Couch surfing and meeting the locals.”

    Along the route, they’ve been encouraging the folks they meet to visit their website (bikingforboobies.com), and make a donation to support breast cancer research. Their goal is to ride 70 to 80 miles a day and raise $37,000 by the time they reach LA.

    It’s easy to spot these guys on the road. They wear bright-colored bodysuits, helmets and sunglasses. Video cameras attached to their helmets capture footage for their website.

    They look a little comical and seem a little irreverent: “I like biking and I love boobies,” Buonaiuto says when I ask why he’s riding for this particular cause. He tells me they’ve heard plenty of “breastimonials” along the way — stories about how breast cancer has affected family members and friends.

    Despite the playful language, there is sincerity in this mission. It’s a mission fueled by their Christian faith (the two met at Victory Church in Boca Raton about five years ago), their desire for a physical challenge, and their dream of promoting the whole thing on the Ellen DeGeneres Show.

    “Ellen is a huge supporter of breast cancer research, and an awesome human being,” says Buonaiuto. “Besides, we’re attention whores. We would love to dance with Ellen on TV.”

    As of this writing, Ellen has not responded to the pair’s many messages. But there’s still time — and many more miles to pedal.

    “The back roads have bumps and potholes and we’re feeling every one,” Buonaiuto tells me. A few days later, when they make it to the Texas state line and I ask if they are tired and sore, he texts me the following:

    “God is a spring of joy and energy. That being said, we are VERY tired and sore.”

    To follow their odyssey or make a donation, visit www.bikingforboobies.com.

    To see a video of their pitch to Ellen DeGeneres visit www.thecoastalstar.ning.com.

    Paula Detwiller is a freelance writer and lifelong fitness junkie. Visit her at www.pdwrites.com.