Johnny Ray Century Ride will bring bicyclists to Roanoke

The longest organized bicycle ride Vickie Cummings has done is with the Cox Atlanta Ride, a ride she reprised last Saturday on the group’s 25th anniversary.

Held at Callaway Gardens on Sept. 17-18 almost 2,000 bicyclists participated, she said, the most ever in its history. The bicyclists raised money to fund vital research as well as important programs and services for people living with Multiple Sclerosis.

This upcoming Saturday, Sept. 24, she will participate in the East Alabama Cycling Club’s Johnny Ray Century Ride from Opelika to Roanoke and back––100 miles. It follows the railroad trip of the old engineer from Opelika to LaFayette to Roanoke and back again.

The bicyclists will come into Roanoke from Louina Street at about 10 a.m. They will ride up Louina to the parking lot next to the Randolph County Historical Museum, which features some Johnny Ray memorabilia for those not in a hurry. This also will provide a chance to rest at the 55-mile rest stop on the trip. The Rotary Club tent will be in the parking lot.

The group will then ride back down Main Street to the old City Cafe and head back down Chestnut Street.

The barriers at the closed Louina CSX bridge will temporarily be moved to let them pass, then replaced.

Registration will be Saturday at 7 a.m. at Trinity United Methodist Church in Opelika, with the $35 registration fee going to the Parkinson’s Foundation. The mass start is at 8 a.m.

The Johnny Ray ride is to help Parkinson’s and promote physical activity. Exercise helps those with Parkinson’s. Information from the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation says this is a chronic neurodegenerative disease that progresses at different rates in people.

Anyone with questions about the Johnny Ray Centennial can call 334-332-3440.

(For more of this story see the September 21 issue of The Randolph Leader.)