SHERMAN, Texas. -- Disabled veterans from across the United States are joining together for cross-country bicycle trip.

The first-ever Soldier Ride Across America made a pit stop in Sherman on Tuesday.

"It's phenomenal, it's empowering. It gives you the opportunity to spend time with service members, veterans," said rider Jesus Chavez. "Each one of us is riding at different times, getting to interact with each other and getting to bond."

This is a journey that's been a year in the making, starting in New York City on September 8 and traveling all the way to Sherman in just 16 days.

The ride is scheduled to end in San Diego on October 7.

"To see it come to fruition is just amazing," said Soldier Ride director James Herrera. "Each team has done incredibly well."

With three different teams -- east coast, central, and west coast -- each group rides for 10 days. That's up to 1,200 miles.

"Yesterday I had a 60-mile ride, and the other team had a 40-mile ride," Chavez explained. "It's different miles, different days." -

Riders volunteer to participate in the event, but they have to meet some qualifications.

"They've all participated in a traditional soldier ride, which is a four-day event," Herrera said. "We assessed them that way, and then we took them to a training camp. A group of 20 individuals came to training camp and we honed down to the 12 riders that we felt physically and sort of mentally best represent Wounded Warrior Project."

The cross-country event is celebrating the 15-year anniversary of Soldier Ride and of the Wounded Warrior Project.

"It's sort of a reenactment of a 2004 ride across the country that a guy by the name of Chris Carney did to raise money for Wounded Warrior Project," Herrera said.

But instead of raising money, this event aims to raise awareness of the Wounded Warrior Project organization.

"We've been getting great support, you know, all across from Louisville all the way to here," rider Michael Rash said. "People honking and waving and taking opportunities to thank us, and it's just awesome."