Riding "Route 66" for the Cure

Motorcycle enthusiast groups have become significant contributors to the American tradition of hosting events or “rides” to raise funds for worthy causes across the country for several years now.  Most of those we see on the news are very large groups undertaking very large efforts to raise large sums for a cause.  What we often do not see are the hundreds of small motorcycle groups who also take on projects to raise money in smaller ways which are equally important at the end of the day.



Getting ready to head out on "66"



Roger Fox

While overnighting on our return to Texas in Joplin Missouri over Labor Day weekend, we met such a group by the name of “Ride for Relay “.  This group does a fund raising ride every year following Route 66 from Navy Pier in Chicago to Santa Monica, California. Started six years ago by cancer survivor Roger Fox, this group has grown from just a handful of friends to a “full ride” group of about 60 enthusiasts augmented by hundreds of supporters along the way including automotive and motorcycle riders who join the group for segments of the trip.  Roger mentioned he was familiar with our legendary “Republic of Texas” Motorcycle Rally (www.rotrally.com) each year in Austin because of Texas motorcycle enthusiasts who ride with them on the Amarillo leg in Texas.

We happened onto Roger on Labor Day evening in Joplin while fueling up our 2011 Dodge Journey Crew test vehicle. At the next pump, we could not help noticing an extremely sharp looking yellow Honda motorcycle towing a custom trailer holding a matching yellow miniature car in the mold of a Chevrolet. We complimented his “ride” and asked if he was with the group of riders we had noticed at the motel up the street.  They were on Day 3 of their 12 day ride which averages about 200 miles per day. On this evening they were staying in Joplin for the night as guests of the Fairfield Inn (www.marriott.com/fairfieldinn) and the Manager Chris Byers who holds a barbecue for them and local supporters each year.

The group pretty closely follows the old Route 66 from Chicago to Springfield Illinois then on to Rolla and Joplin Missouri and then to Edmund and Oklahoma City Oklahoma, passing through Amarillo Texas to Santa Rosa and Grants New Mexico into Holbrook and Kingman Arizona and finishing through Barstow, Colton and Santa Monica California.  Roger’s nick name on this ride is “U-turn”.  Something about all the turning and herding he does for the 12 days to keep the group closed up and making their schedule to each of those Route 66 stops.

In just the few short years of this ride, they have formed several local friendships along Route 66 who come out every year to ride along awhile or break bread with them when they stop.

Each rider pays 100% of his costs while many local businesses along the route provide lodging and food support and contributions to the cause. In the short history of this group, they have raised over $85,000 for cancer research.

Roger sees this Ride for the Relay as opportunity for himself and his group to not only payback but to pay forward to the communities that have supported them.   An example would be in Joplin where a couple of employees of the Fairfield Inn lost everything in the tornado this past year.  The Ride for the Relay group passed the hat and sent a $1,000 to each to help them get back on their feet.  As Roger points out, “this ride allows you to meet and help friends you never knew you had”.

You can support their 2011 Ride for the Relay by going to their website www.ridefortherelay.org and learn more about the group, get a daily report on the ride and make a donation.  Join them and make some friends you did not know you had.