They've crossed more than 30 states atop two wheels and a narrow seat. On June 11, 22 fraternity guys began a grueling cross-country expedition, by bike, from Seattle. Their destination: Washington, D.C.

And though this summer is Dominick Valenti's first experience cycling long-distance, he found an hour of jumping and sliding down huge inflatable objects at Roanoke's Pump It Up on Sunday to be much more intense.

"This is more fun, for sure," said Valenti, 21, in stocking feet, stopping to catch his breath.

For the past two months, Valenti, a student at Missouri State University, has been cycling with Journey of Hope. Since 1988, Push America, a nonprofit organization founded by the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity, has used nationwide bike trips such as this one to promote and raise funds for its cause: supporting people with disabilities.

On Sunday, these weary cyclists stopped in Roanoke to rest and socialize with children and adults who are part of the Down Syndrome Association of Roanoke. They romped around for an hour or so at Pump It Up's indoor inflatable playground. Loud shrieks and boyish shouts echoed throughout the room.

"Drew would rather do things with the teenage guys than with mom and dad," said Whitney Smith, watching his 8-year-old son speed down a tall inflatable slide.

This is the fifth year that the Down Syndrome Association has hosted Journey of Hope, though other years they've met at the Skate Center of Roanoke Valley. This year they chose Pump It Up because it was interactive for a variety of ages, said Pat Macdonald, past president of the association.

The association, which began 18 years ago, does not receive funding from Push America, but it enjoys hosting the cycling group, Macdonald said.

About 50 million Americans have a disability, which is almost 20 percent of the population, according to Push America. In the past, the Charlotte, N.C.-based organization has raised more than $500,000 through Journey for Hope rides. To participate, each cyclist must contribute at least $5,000.

Sunday marked a pilgrimage, averaging 75 miles a day, that will soon be over. Saturday is the deadline for arrival in Washington, where the cyclists, all college students, will meet two other Journey of Hope teams that took different routes across the United States.

The team is spending two nights in Roanoke. It's rare for the bicyclists to stop in a city for more than a night, but their stay depends on a variety of factors, such as local organizations there that sponsor events and where they are in their route, said Ben Kaufman, a public relations crew member traveling with the group.

Today the cyclists will have lunch with Camp Virginia Jaycee and dinner at Camp Easter Seals Virginia in New Castle.

Tuesday, they'll return to the road for a 110-mile journey to Farmville.

Valenti admitted that climbing mountains has been toughest for him. But he's also thinking positively.

From getting to know his bikemates to meeting new people in each city, "everything that makes it tough just goes away," he said.