Biking long distances to advocate for peace is nothing new to Bob Sanders of Concord. Last year, he biked 1,500 miles across northern New England and raised $10,000 as part of his campaign Ride Against War in Gaza, or RAW Gaza.

The 70-year-old former journalist has now embarked on a new trip, one across the nation that began in San Francisco on May 28. Since then, he has made his way through a large portion of California, Oregon and Idaho, with plans to travel to Jackson, Wyo., by the end of the week.

For four weeks, Sanders has biked against the Israeli military occupation in the Gaza strip. His journey won’t end until September.

“I feel compelled as a Jew to speak out considering what the Nazis did to us,” Sanders said. “How can I then remain silent when a Jewish nation is systematically destroying and starving an entire population of 2 million people with my tax dollars?”

Despite starting in urban California, much of his 4,000-mile ride will take Sanders through rural America on unpaved, rocky roads. He plans to rally activist support, talk to the media, host fundraisers and petition the local government in each state he visits.

With his logo on his front and “Ride Against War on Gaza USA Tour” written on his back, Sanders said he has received a lot of attention, support and donations. Allies across the country host him in their homes and provide him dinners and potlucks with the help of the national and New Hampshire chapters of the Peace Action Education Fund.

He expects that this support could change once he bikes out of more urban areas, but nonetheless he’s seen more support with this ride than he has in the past.

“This has been kind of amazing. I mean, people are just being wonderful. They’ve been thanking me; people biked with me,” he said.

Sanders accomplished his last transcontinental ride 50 years ago when he was in college. This is his third RAW Gaza ride.

As his ride continues onto dirt roads and up mountains, Sanders is not looking forward to bumpy rides where roads aren’t paved. He’s also facing extreme weather out west, but at least he’s not alone: Naor Deleanu, also an activist, has joined Sanders’ ride and will bike with him for the next couple of weeks. Deleanu’s mother is from Israel, and he is a part of Standing Together, a group of both Jewish and Arab people promoting peace between Israel and Palestine.

The ride supports a long list of demands. Sanders and Deleanu are calling for an immediate ceasefire and the release of all hostages, increased humanitarian aid, an end to the occupation and an international investigation of war crimes by Israel and Hamas. Pointing to the attack in Boulder, Colo., in early June, where a man used a makeshift flamethrower on people gathering to raise awareness for the Israeli hostages, Sanders stressed that he condemns Islamophobia just as he condemns antisemitism.

“We’re about preventing this kind of violence, not fostering it,” he said.

He noted: “When you criticize Israel, they say it’s antisemitic. They’re one of the reasons that we’re doing this; I’m doing this as a Jewish person. … This is not a Jewish position, to support Israel, and I say it’s antisemitic to assume that all Jews support Israel.”

On June 20, Sanders was hit by a car while making his way through Idaho but sustained no serious injuries. He spent a short time in the hospital, got help repairing his bike from a supporter and was back on the road a couple days later.

Although he is dreading the heat and trying making up for lost time, Sanders said he feels impressed by the impact of his ride.

“I’m going to continue one way or another to New +Hampshire,” he said. “It’s been very gratifying.”

RAW Gaza is supported by individuals like Jerry Greenfield, of Ben & Jerry’s, and organizations like the national American Friends Service Committee, Peace Action, Veterans for Peace, Jewish Voice for Peace VT/NH and Not In My Name NH, which Sanders founded.

On Saturday, Sanders returned to Concord to recover from the car accident, but he hopes to be back on the road for an event in Minnesota on July 19. He hopes to finish his ride from there, depending on how he is feeling and his doctor’s recommendations.

For more information about his ride, visit https://nhpeaceaction.org/event/raw-gaza-x-country-tour/ or the Ride Against War in Gaza Facebook.

Kiera McLaughlin can be reached at kmclaughlin@cmonitor.com.