Record number participate in Johnny Ray Century

The 13th annual Johnny Ray Century ride Saturday broke records in the number of bicyclists participating and in the money collected for Parkinson’s Disease.

Under a clouds Saturday the bicyclists set out from Opelika following less-traveled trails to Roanoke. Some rode through drizzles but said the rain made it more attractive. The only problem is when it makes the roads slippery.

They rode in on the steep Louina Road, went down Gulf Street and crossed the railroad tracks to Chestnut Street to this year’s stop at the Main Street Theatre.

Interact Club members met them and checked them in. The Roanoke Rotary Club was sponsoring the rest stop of home-baked goodies, bananas, cut fruit, water, Gatorade, and other high energy snacks.

Charles Eick, a volunteer member of the East Alabama Cycling Club, met them and told them where the food and restrooms were. Greeting them was “Welcome Johnny Ray” on the marquee, which seemed to be appreciated. Johnny Ray, was a conductor of a Central of Georgia railroad spur that connected Opelika, LaFayette and Roanoke to West Point, Ga., and Atlanta.

Participants can ride in the 20-mile, 34-mile, 62-mile or the Johnny Ray Century 105-mile ride. On the Century ride there are eight rest stops–every 20 miles along the route with liquids and snacks for riders.

Rotarian Chuck Marcum said many people were complimentary of the home-baked goodies and impressed with the theatre. They went in and looked around. I think it was good for Roanoke for them to see the downtown.

“I was proud of the Interact kids for giving up part of their Saturday to come up here and work,” Marcum said. He was referring to members Kaylor Burks and Austin Meinzer, who took the first shift of checking in the riders, followed by Interact president Will Clark and Jared Sears taking the second.

More than $10,000 was raised and will be donated to the Davis Phinney Foundation’s Victory Crew, supporting those living with Parkinson’s Disease, according to Christopher P. Graff, Johnny Ray ride co-director.

As final donations come in the number will be revised and published on the club’s website, wwww.EastAlabamaCyclingClub.com. The tentative conservative numbers represent a record-breaking event for the East Alabama Cycling Club with 248 riders.

All seemed to have a story. The first three came in about 10:20 a.m. but someone said he thought they left early. Most average 18 to 20 miles an hour, Eick said. Most train for something like the 105-mile Johnny Ray.

People who ride do it for several reasons. They want to stay fit, and it’s fun and exciting and way more interesting than trying to work out in a gym, he said.

Those who are serious cyclists go with safety gear. He knows of several people over the years who have fallen and gotten up unhurt but their helmets were cracked.

Don Polk of Birmingham said this is part of the Alabama Backroads Century Series. This is his third time to do the Johnny Ray Century. This year he has done seven of the 12 Backroads events and another one is coming up in October. The first year he did five.

“They’re fun. They keep you in good shape. It is good exercise and you get to see parts of Alabama. Riders come from different parts of the state. For some people it is a constant battle between the bicycles and the cars,” Polk said.

Brian Smith of Tuscaloosa biked in a low-slung laid-back bike due to a head injury he sustained in a car accident in 1995. This is his 16th year of doing these bike rides. His head injury did not impact his strength. The American flag on the back helps people to see him. He rides with his friend, Ted Goode. They are members of the cycling club there, Smith said.

“This year we’ve gone out and done a ride in Texas and in November they are going to Tuscon,” he said. His dad had not been on a bike in 40-to-50 years but a couple of years ago rented a bike when they were in Gatlinburg, Tenn. and rode with Smith.

He liked the Roanoke rest stop. It has great food, very nice people, and it is very easy to get in and out of, he said.

Rotarian Clay Tinney, who was overseeing the event at the theatre with the Rotary tent set up for the food, said, “We Rotarians enjoy doing it. We get to meet some neat people and we’re glad to be able to help out. We were glad were were able to use the theatre this year. People from out of town, from all over the state, participated in the ride. We were glad we got to show off the theatre and Streetscape.”

David Adams of Mountain Brook said he always tries to stay in decent shape. He rode four hours to get to Roanoke and hoped to be back in Opelika by 3 p.m.

Derek Farr biked in and had an inspiring story. He said last year he weighed 335 pounds, started riding a bike, now weighs 245 pounds. He is eating the way you are supposed to but eats every two hours. He has to eat on the run sometimes so he will eat nutritional shakes with vitamins and supplements in them.

“Me, Vickie (Cummings) and Laura (Landers) wanted to ride to Roanoke. Since they were coming to our town we wanted to be a part of it,” he said.

“It’s more than a hobby–it’s saving my life. I just want to live to see grandchildren,” he said.

Cummings said Charles Wesson and his daughter, Gloria, from Roanoke, rode the 30-mile trek.

“It’s a great ride–a great supported ride,” Landers said. It is because it is a fundraiser for Parkinson’s that she does it. She had a grandfather and an aunt who had Parkinson’s so “it is kind of personal for me. Plus I love to ride,” she said.

Cummings said her riding time was four hours and 25 minutes. Her son, Russ, drove them to the church in Opelika so they did not again do the round trip of 105 miles.

Robert Traphan and his wife, Bonnie, of Montgomery rode in on a double bike. She said they got it because she got sick and had trouble with her vision. The bike was a way to increase her health and her balance issues. She has gotten steadily better and the bicycling helped. They rode away both sporting big smiles.

Jack Thomas of Opelika said, “I love the backroads with the scenery. This is the first time I have done this ride. It was very well organized. It was a little bumpy. Felipe Torcejon of Beauregard agreed.

Graff said there are rides all over the state, part of the Backroads Series. Bicycling has been growing. A part of it is the riders wanting to do this as a community of people with similar interests. It is beautiful out here, he said, mentioning part the ride between Waverly and LaFayette. The bottom line though is it is for Parkinson’s Disease funds. Not one penny is used for food and other items, much of which are donated. It all goes to the Davis Phinney fund.

A truck is kept on the road in the event there are bike problems and to make sure the bicyclists are OK. People like the Rotarians are helping them out and cheering us on, he said. This is the 5th year the JRC has come to Roanoke and the 13th year of the ride.

Graff provided East Alabama Cycling Club’s 13th Annual Johnny Ray Century preliminary numbers:

244 riders

120 rode 105 miles to Roanoke and back

64 rode 63 miles to LaFayette and back

60 rode either 34 or 20 miles through Lee and Chambers County

173 riders (plus family & friends) came from out of town – Auburn/Opelika area.

54 riders from out of state (GA, FL, MS, SC, VA, NC, TN, OH, AK).