A band of weary travelers will descend upon La Jolla Shores today to celebrate the conclusion of a 70-day bicycling pilgrimage across the country to promote affordable housing. The 32 riders, ages 18 to 25, are all college students or graduates from various walks of life who applied to work with the nonprofit organization Bike and Build last fall. Each prospective participant was required to raise $4,000 and pedal at least 500 miles prior to the trip. On May 16, the entourage departed from Nags Head, N.C., for a summer of rising at 5 a.m. and averaging 75 miles of cycling per day. A van followed the group at all times, carrying supplies to make meal and rest stops quick and easy. Today marks the final stop of their journey, and the travelers will bid one another farewell and disperse to their respective hometowns. Four days of the entire trip were allotted for respite — one in the Grand Canyon and the remainder in various cities scattered along the route. The journey also included 12 “build days,” which involved teaming up with local affordable housing organizations to work on construction sites and present information at town hall-style meetings. Since its inception in 2002, Bike and Build has contributed more than $2.3 million through more than 1,000 participants to fund affordable housing projects planned and executed by young adults. Through grants and donations, the group has promoted its cause in 47 states.