Cyclists rolled out of Zumbrota Wednesday morning on a 264-mile, four-day journey that begins at a memorial to a hometown police officer and firefighter who died by suicide after nearly two decades protecting the small Minnesota town. The third annual Ride Against Suicide launched from the Gary Schroeder Jr. Memorial near the Zumbrota Police Station, with first responders escorting the tour as it heads toward Wisconsin and back.
The ride is organized under the Invisible Wounds Project, a Forest Lake nonprofit dedicated to enhancing the lives of military members, first responders, 911 dispatchers and their immediate families, according to KAAL-TV. The starting point carries deep weight for Zumbrota: Gary L. Schroeder Jr. served 18 years on the town's police force before medically retiring at the end of 2020 due to job-related PTSD, and he died by suicide on April 17, 2023, at age 46, according to the Minnesota Senate Republican Caucus.
A Route Marked by Local Tributes
The memorial in front of the police station where the ride begins was formally opened to the community in September 2025, following months of local organizing, as reported by KTTC-TV. Just this month, Minnesota officials held a formal dedication renaming a four-mile stretch of Highway 58 through Zumbrota as the Officer/Firefighter Gary L. Schroeder, Jr. Memorial Highway, a designation the state legislature had unanimously approved back in April.
From Zumbrota, the route stretches nearly 70 miles to Hudson, Wisconsin on day one, according to KAAL-TV's reporting, followed by almost 50 miles to Menomonie, Wisconsin on day two. Day three carries riders 53 miles to Chetek, Wisconsin, before the fourth day ends in Columbus, Minnesota. Cyclists on the route must also climb more than 10,000 feet of total elevation gain over the four days, per the Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota. The ride wraps up at a Concert for a Cause, with participants paying a registration fee and meeting fundraising minimums to take part.
A Founder's Own Experience Behind the Mission
The Invisible Wounds Project was founded by Russ Hanes, a former 911 dispatcher who experienced PTSD and struggled to find mental-health help suited to first responders, according to KARE-TV.
Money raised through the ride helps sustain the group's 4,000-square-foot Support Center in Forest Lake, which offers therapy rooms, an art studio, and a woodshop where veterans and first responders use hands-on crafts, according to the Minnesota Vikings. The center provides free and confidential support to military members, emergency personnel and their families.
The Invisible Wounds Project also hosted the Officer Shawn Silvera Memorial 5K on September 20, 2026.
A Focus on First Responder Mental Health
The ride draws attention to suicide and mental-health concerns among first responders.
Riders on this year's Ride Against Suicide aim to raise awareness of veteran and first responder suicide alongside the services the Invisible Wounds Project offers, while working to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health in public safety professions. The event honors people who have died by suicide and in the line of duty, and donations can be made through the Invisible Wounds Project's website.
