Do you have any plans for May 17-24?

Are you interested in experiencing the countryside in a whole different light?

If your answers included "not yet" and "sure," you may want to sign up for the annual National EMS Memorial Bike Ride.

Plans for the pedaling journey to honor fallen EMS heroes and bring attention to EMS issues have been underway for a few months now.

The ride is now under a new incorporated organization headed by Jennifer Frenette, a director with the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians.

There will be two legs again this year, one leaving New York City and the other leaving Kentucky, to meet in Roanoke, VA for the National EMS Memorial Service.

However, she said interest is gaining from providers in Canada, California and North Carolina, so "Who knows what the future may hold."

The group also is supporting a one-day ride set for May 10 from New Orleans to Baton Rouge.

"The ride is to pay tribute and honor EMS people who have died in the line of duty," she said.

And, they also want to bring vital issues to the forefront. Ones, they say, have been overlooked.

"We don't have a database to track injuries or LODDs (line of duty deaths). We really don't have a true number of how many people may be injured on the job, Frenette said, adding that information also needs to be gleaned on illnesses and other hazards facing providers.

On their way to Roanoke in May, the bicyclists are planning to stop in Washington, D.C. for a brief meeting with legislators.

Riders also use the opportunity while on the road to explain their role to the public. Many people they spoke with last year didn't realize that many EMS providers are volunteers who have regular jobs.

Last year, 42 people pedaled out of New York, while six tackled the Kentucky route.

"Eventually, we'd like to get one rider from each state," Frenette said.

What makes it different is that it's not a race. Riders support one another along the way. If someone doesn't feel like pedaling, they can hitch a ride in the support vehicle.

People can ride for the entire trip, a few days, a day or just a few miles.

When they arrive en masse at Hotel Roanoke on Friday evening to the applause and tears of families of fallen heroes and supporters, riders feel a connection. "There's really no way to describe it," Frenette said. "I know everyone feels the same."