MARYSVILLE – Bicyclist Andrew Leaf is riding on faith.

The resident skills coordinator at the Interfaith Family Shelter started a sabbatical over the Labor Day weekend to ride 1,600 miles along Highway 99 from the U.S.-Canada border to Mexico.

The Marysville nativeand M-PHS graduate said he hopes to raise money – pledges of a penny per mile – for what he calls the 1st Mary Magdalene Race to Save Our Children to support two future Mary Magdalene Clinics.

“If we are successful this year, we will be able to purchase two housing campuses and hire enough staff to house and give medical attention to women who work the streets, and children who call the streets home,” Leaf said.

He reminded that Highway 99 is a corridor known for prostitution, drug activity and street living.

Asked how he’s going to feed, rest and spend his time, he said, “I’m going by faith. Two sets of clothes, at least one-and-a-half gallons of water, and people are going to meet me and hand me stuff as I go.”

At press time, Leaf was already halfway through Washington state. You can follow his travels on his Facebook page at www.facebook.com/andrew.leaf.399.