It wasn’t all bad
■ In 1897, 20 Black infantrymen cycled through 1,900 miles of snowy mountains and blistering plains to test whether the Army could form a bicycle corps.The grueling journey, which stretched from Montana to St. Louis, was nearly lost to history until cyclist Eric Cedeño decided to follow in the soldiers’ path for the expedition’s 125th anniversary.The 49-year-old completed his feat last July—with some luxuries such as air-conditioned breaks. “They rode in uniforms and carried heavy rifles on their backs,” he said. “These guys were almost superheroes.”
■ As a teenager,Tony Gemignani captivated crowds at his brother’s Castro Valley, Calif., pizzeria by performing intricate tricks with dough, including throwing it 15 feet into the air. More than three decades later, Gemignani has become a renowned “pizza acrobat”—yes, that’s a competitive sport—taking home 13 world championship titles as well as several Guinness World Records, such as the largest pizza base spun in two minutes, at 33.2 inches wide. Gemignani, who now owns 40 pizzerias across the country, participates in highly competitive live performances that evaluate each thrower’s dexterity, showmanship, and creativity. “You need agility,” Gemignani said. “It’s always a little different every time you do it.The dough is always changing.”
■ When 8-year-old Kayzen Hunter learned that his favorite waiter needed financial help, the young Waffle House regular asked his mom if he could raise money for Devonte Gardner, who was living in a motel with his wife and two daughters after their home became contaminated with black mold. Kayzen set up a GoFundMe for Gardner, and donations soared to more than $30,000—enough for Gardner to afford a car and a year’s worth of apartment payments. “I started crying—I’d been quietly struggling,” Gardner said. “As far as my little buddy goes, he’s my best friend for life.”