In the saddle

ARLEE — It’s not unusual to hear westbound motorists gripe about the long push across Montana on I-94 and I-90. But Leon Wieder of Arlee isn’t one to complain about his recent voyage along that long, lonely stretch of road — and he made the trek on horseback.

On July 4, Wieder, a 2009 graduate of Arlee High School, completed a 615-mile journey from Beach, N.D. (just across the state line) to his Lake County home. The 37-day ride was done to raise money and awareness for Wieder’s charity, Spur the Cancer Out of Montana.

Wieder founded Spur the Cancer in honor of his aunt, Lynette Moran, who passed away in 2010 at the age of 42 due to complications from treatment after a nine-year battle with leukemia. During a trip to Glendive shortly after her death, Wieder decided that he would traverse the state in her memory to help generate money for cancer patients struggling to meet their hefty medical expenses.

Last summer marked Wieder’s first horseback expedition across the state. His 2011 jaunt began on May 17 (Moran’s birthday) and also concluded on July 4 – the anniversary of Moran’s death.

This year he was back in the saddle, plodding west along the side of I-90 at a clip of about 20 miles per day.

Despite contending with saddle soreness, the occasional downpour, and even a couple close encounters with rattlesnakes, Wieder said that he found the ride to be easier the second time around.

“This year it seemed like it was second nature,” Wieder said. He also adds that “compared to last year there’s a lot of people who know about [Spur the Cancer]… it’s statewide now.”

Wieder, who says he’s been riding horses “since I could hold on,” was accompanied by a team of three loyal horses — Mamet, Big D and Bear — as well as a supporting cast of friends who followed him each step of the way in a horse trailer.

“We had a living quarters horse trailer we stayed in,” Wieder notes. “I wasn’t roughin’ it by any means,” he added modestly.

Both years, Wieder has succeeded in raising awareness en route, and has caught the attention of multiple news outlets along the way. The story of his journey has been told by news stations in Billings, Bozeman, Missoula and other places across the state.

Near Reed Point, Wieder says he even moved a man to tears, because he “said it meant so much to him.”

Over the last two years, Spur the Cancer has raised over $20,000, all of which has gone directly to likeminded organizations dedicated to supporting patients and their families. Wieder has donated proceeds to the Montana chapter of Tough Enough to Wear Pink, The Head Heal and Hope Foundation and the Leukemia Compassion Fund at St. Patrick’s Hospital in Missoula.

Though all worthy causes, Wieder voiced special excitement about the Leukemia Compassion Fund.

“Before, there was never a fund set up for leukemia patients and they’re the ones who need it the most because it’s such an expensive cancer,” he explained.

“[Our check] was the largest donation anyone’s ever made directly for leukemia in the state. So that’s pretty cool,” Wieder said.

“It’s a big relief [to be done]. I don’t want anything to do with horses right now,” Wieder says with a laugh when asked what it feels like to have his second successful ride under his belt. “It’s an enjoyable experience. I have no regrets from it.”

The Salish Kootenai College student says that he plans on completing the trip for a third and final time next summer. Earlier this year, Wieder was awarded the ServeMontana Award by Lt. Gov. John Bohlinger, for his efforts at the helm of Spur the Cancer.

Though Wieder’s ride may be over, the fight against cancer is far from it. The American Cancer Society estimates that there will be 5,550 new cases of cancer diagnosed in Montana this year — 170 of which are expected to be leukemia.

In addition to Wieder’s rides across the state, Spur the Cancer also raises money through raffles, merchandise sales and a rodeo.

Those interested in learning more about Wieder’s organization are encouraged to do so online at spurthecancer.com.