Recent IU graduates prepare to 'ride the divide'

In about a month two IU graduates will begin an extreme off-road adventure called Expedition Cure, as the friends will attempt to drive the entire North American Continental Divide in 21 days to raise money and awareness for the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research. \nHanley Noel and Brent Hatherill, who both graduated from IU in 2004, share a love of adventure and a desire to raise money for Parkinson's research. Noel, who is involved with the Hoosier Cruisers four wheel drive club, said the idea for an off road expedition evolved from several conversations with his friends. \nExpedition Cure will use the extreme adventure to promote fund raising for Parkinson's disease research. \n"We thought, if we're going to go out and take a month to do this we should make it into something bigger," said Hatherill. \nNoel, who will drive during the expedition, has been practicing off road techniques with fellow Hoosier Cruisers at the Badlands Off Road Park in Attica, Ind. \nHatherill and Noel will travel in a highly modified 1994 Toyota Land Cruiser from Glacier National Park to the Mexican border through Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico. The portion of the route through Colorado is the most extreme, Hatherill said. It includes old mining roads and mountain passes used in the Great Divide Land Rover expedition. \n"I don't like to keep cars normal -- I like to mess with them," Noel said. \nIn addition to standard off road equipment, the beefed-up Land Cruiser includes a folding rooftop tent and a hot-water shower. \nAlthough the 21-day goal has been set, Hatherill said Expedition Cure is not a race. The two plan to drive carefully and efficiently to respect the environment.\n"In this sport, you have to be very careful because the impact of the vehicle can be destructive on the land -- you have to be responsible," Hatherill said. \nAn interactive Web site, www.expeditioncure.com, will feature global positioning system tracking, journal entries, photos and videos so followers can stay updated throughout the trip. Text message updates will also be available from Proxito. \nExpedition Cure is part of the Michael J. Fox Foundation's Team Fox, which supports grassroots fund-raising programs. Donations can be made by accessing Team Fox through Expedition Cure's Web site. \n"Brent and Hanley's goal is to meet their fund-raising objective of raising $5,000 for Parkinson's, complete the trip and not become bear food in the process," states a press release. "And with any luck, IU won't be asking for their diplomas back when they're finished"