Ride For Lucas

First of all, this isn't at all about the bicycle.  It might seem that way but it isn't. 

I haven't forgotten the late great Jim Dykes admonition "I like your column but get off that (expletive deleted) bike fetish."  So every time I start to write something about biking, I remember that.

No, this is a love story.  But let me back up a bit. 

There was a bike ride last weekend.   It all got started about 9 AM Saturday morning from Cycology bike shop.  About 220 people attended and another 20 or so completed a 5K run/walk.

The bicyclists had the choice of 25, 42, or 62 mile routes, mostly through south Blount County, traversing our beautiful back yard.  It was a gorgeous day too.  A little cool at first but once it warmed up a bit, it was glorious.  The fall colors are definitely off this year but our mountains are still just as majestic.

Bike pro Nina Laughlin joined the ride from her home in Brevard, North Carolina. She rides for the Visit Dallas DNA Pro Cycling Team and coaches for Carmichael Training Systems.  Oh, and she's from Maryville!

Tour de France pro Matthew Busche had tried to get here for the ride but when he couldn't get here, he sent an autographed jersey.

The ride was called The Ride for Lucas.  And that's where the story really starts.

Lucas Jones is an 8 year old boy battling Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma.  Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma is a cancer primarily affecting children and can be particularly aggressive.  Lucas is currently undergoing a combination of therapies in his fight. 

The ride was a combination of a fundraiser for the Jones family, an opportunity to lift Lucas and his family up, and an opportunity to call awareness to childhood cancer.

A couple of months ago, Kadena Hodson didn't know Lucas or anyone in the Jones family.  She certainly didn't have any idea what Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma was.  She actually discovered the story of Lucas on Facebook.

But Kadena has got a heart the size of your house and has an 9 year old son of her own.  She wanted to do something for Lucas and his family.  That's where the idea for a bike ride came up.

She knocked on doors.  She found sponsors.  She got her biking friends to help.  And then on November 5th, the Ride for Lucas happened.  And oh my, it was a huge success.  In so many ways.

Every Blount County business that Kadena contacted donated something.  250 people participated.  The Jeff Roth Cycling Foundation folks were there.  Cycology donated 10% of the day's proceeds.  A community came together.  People got to meet this brave little boy. 

At the end of the day, $10,00.00 was collected for the Jones family.

But this story is not just about Lucas.  It's not just about Kadena.  It's also about strangers that came together showing love for a boy and a family that none of them knew. 

That's the kind of place where we live.  That's the kind of neighbors we have.  And it didn't really have anything to do with a bicycle.