ASU student Chris Johnson is hitting the open road this May and heading for Chicago — and it’s going to take him five weeks to get there.

The history junior began fundraising this week, and when he hits the $10,000 mark, he and three friends will hop on their bikes and aim for the Windy City to raise money for an orphanage in Uganda.

During a two-and-a-half week missions trip to Uganda through Hope 4 Kids International last June, Johnson visited Sunrise House, an orphanage in Port Fortal that is home to 52 children.

As the American economy plunges, so have donations to Sunrise House, making it difficult to handle bills for clothing, school and especially food.

“A lot of Americans come over [to Uganda] and make promises to help and then go home and forget about them,” Johnson said. “I am not going to do that.”

Johnson’s goal of $10,000, which will pay for a truck for the orphanage director’s son, farmer James Kamanyire, to transport food, is the largest cost for the organization that provides the children two meals a day.

Upon returning from his trip, Johnson decided he would take the cross-country trip and purchased a bicycle in August.

“I had to dive into the whole cycling work,” Johnson said.

He has been attending bike seminars, reading cycling magazines and talking to anyone and everyone he can about the sport.

“We’re planning on 82 miles a day,” Johnson said, adding the group will take one day off for each three they ride, completing the 1,700-mile trip in about five weeks.

“I’m not worried about it at all,” Johnson said. “It’s going to be the biggest adventure.”

After pitching the trip to about 20 friends with no luck, Johnson found three buddies who will ride with him, though he will raise the $10,000 goal on his own.

“They’re good guys — they didn’t think I was crazy. They want to be free from schedules and bosses and just ride,” he said.

John Klein, 25, a December 2008 graduate, is going along for the ride.

“It’s a long time to cut out of your schedule, but I like endurance and outdoor-type things,” he said. He currently works full time in the financial field.

Klein and Johnson are roommates and have been training together throughout the last several months.

“I’m excited. We’re spreading the word. I can’t wait to take on this challenge,” Klein said.

Rep. Sam Crump, R-Anthem, will host an event for the legislative community to raise money for Johnson’s effort later this spring.

Crump — who has been friends with a Ugandan family since he was a child — visited Uganda for the first time in 2000, and where he discovered retired Anglican bishop Eustace Kamanyire living with dozens of orphans in his garage. This was the beginning of Sunrise House.

In 2002, Crump founded the Rotary Club of Anthem and now supports Sunrise House, which Kamanyire directs. Crump also serves on the board of Hope 4 Kids International.

“What Chris is doing is incredible. This truck is going to make a huge difference to those children,” Crump said.

Johnson also plans to host events at local businesses in the coming months. He has raised about $1,200 to date, just more then 10 percent of his goal.

“Fundraising is going surprisingly well,” Johnson said. “I can’t wait to really plan some fun events and spread the word.”

Valerie Byrd, 25, of Phoenix, traveled to Uganda with Johnson in June and visited Kamanyire’s son on his farm.

Byrd donated $100 to the cause on Sunday, because she said she feels connected to Ugandan farmer and his work after her visit.

“I don’t have time to leave work and go on the trip, but I always wanted to give toward the cause,” she said.

Donate to the cause at firstgiving.com/sunride

Reach the reporter at tessa.muggeridge@asu.edu.