The challenge is not only to raise money, but to raise awareness and help smaller communities start a Habitat for Humanity chapter.

The bike challenge is sort of a modern day Lewis and Clark. And I get to spend a few more months with my buds from college.

We make enough money to at least donate something we can send down there to help out. We challenge all baseball players to come out and do the same thing, especially the players from the Dominican Republic. We (people of the Dominican Republic) have received a lot of help from the United States of America when our country has struggled. We have been in this situation. We need to help this country.

Awareness is probably the biggest challenge we've had.

It's not an easy place to play and win. It has to be controlled. The only challenge we could have as a coaching staff is that the players are too high.

It's something I really wanted to have a run at. So far, it's gone well. I'm just enjoying that challenge, and hopefully over the next eight months or so I can get myself in a position to be a legitimate contender for that spot in the World Cup.