David Peterson, Don Grimsley and Randy Dykes are looking for their next challenge.

After a 5,200-mile off-road journey from North Carolina to Oregon in September to raise money for Sandhills Teen Challenge, the trio is now contemplating a ride from Mexico to Canada.

"If it's OK with our wives," Grimsley said with a smile.

Grimsley recently hosted a get-together for family and friends to celebrate the three-week ride that began in Moore County and culminated at Port Orford, Ore., and the Pacific Ocean.

The best news is that the trip, dubbed "Freedom Ride," raised $2,174 for Sandhills Teen Challenge, a faith-based, nonprofit organization that rehabilitates young men with drug and alcohol problems.

It costs about $47 per day or $1,400 per month for one person to take part in the Sandhills Teen Challenge program.

Sal DiBianca, director of Sandhills Teen Challenge, called the ride an "incredible success." His wife, Debby, said the ride will have greater benefits than just the money raised.

"The guys (in Teen Challenge) feel valued," she said. "To me, that is really what's awesome."

The DiBiancas were among about 15 people who attended the event at the Grimsleys' home. They watched a 15-minute video that chronicled the trip.

The ride crossed varied terrain in 11 states. They dealt with plenty of rain as well as temperatures that varied from the 80s to the lower 40s as they made their way across mountains and deserts.

Dykes had to drop out before completion because of work obligations, leaving Grimsley and Peterson to complete the cross-country trek.

The three friends are all avid on-road motorcycle enthusiasts. Peterson admitted that there is a certain appeal to riding off-road.

"We've been asked if we could only keep one of our bikes, which one we would choose, and I think we all agreed it would be the off-road bike," he says.

The journey is documented through video and daily written updates on a website, letfreedomride.org. The site detailed the progress as well as hurdles like bad weather, equipment and bike issues, friends met, places seen and plenty of other interesting facts and observations about the trip.

The final line of the last blog entry thanks everyone for their prayers and kindness toward Teen Challenge and offers a challenge to readers:

"Now, go do something hard."

Contact Tom Embrey at tembrey@thepilot.com.