Less than a week after their charitable cycling trip from Ann Arbor to Harbor Springs came to an end, Bart Thompson and his friends have raised more than $6,000 for their cause.

As of this morning, the group had raised $5,925 online alone. Thompson said other donors have shown their support by mailing checks directly to International Samaritan. The money will be used to help build schools in Haiti.

"I would actually say we're going to be closer to $8,000 or $9,000," Thompson said.

The cyclists' original goal was to raise at least $5,000—enough to pay for one school.

Thompson, who grew up in Ann Arbor and will be a pre-med junior at Stanford University in the fall, and some of his friends began the 335-mile-long journey Friday morning and made it to Harbor Springs by Sunday evening. The group stopped to camp twice.

"Even on the trip, we'd find random acts of kindness," Thompson said, recalling a man he met during a stop at a Burger King who donated $20 to the group.

Thompson said he appreciates the generosity of everyone who has donated.

"We've had friends of ours, people we know who are in college, who are paying their own bills, chip in 10, 20 bucks, and we've had donations of four digits," he said.

Despite mosquitos, thunderstorms and "some pain in the saddle region," Thompson said the more than 300-mile-long cycling trip was worth the effort.

"One of the most fun parts of it was the bonding involved," he said.

Donations can be made here, or send a check to International Samaritan, 614 S. Ashley St., Ann Arbor, MI 48103.

Heather Lockwood is a reporter for AnnArbor.com, reach her at heatherlockwood@annarbor.com or follow her on Twitter.