Cyclists Ride for Recovery
Though they were few in number, they were resilient in spirit—could be said about the seven Ride for Recovery participants that rolled through Monticello last Tuesday.
The bicycle riders and support staff are part of the Came To Believe Recovery’s (CTBR) awareness campaign that organized the Ride For Recovery, a 500-mile bicycle ride over four days from Lawrenceville to Orlando, Fla. with scheduled stops in Monticello, Macon, Hawkinsville, Tifton, and Valdosta on the way through Florida cities of Lake City, Gainesville, and Ocala.
This is the first of four rides that will take place during the 2016-17 year. The Ride For Recovery initiative will visit the United Kingdom (UK) next Spring and culminate with participation in the Race Across America (RAAM)—riding from California to Maryland in June 2017.
It is an initiative that has been developed by CTBR, an organization that has been seeking to help people recover from addiction through a life changing 12 step experience since 1966.
September is National Recovery Month and every year the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) sponsors Recovery Month to increase awareness and understanding of mental and substance use disorders and celebrate the people who recover.
Betty Jean Jordan, a widely known local cyclist, extended her hospitality services and the Monticello Presbyterian Church as a local stopping place for the cyclists. And while Mrs. Jordan did not start the ride in Lawrenceville, she traded in her work apparel for her cycling gear to journey with the riders to Macon from Monticello.
“Recently, I met Nathan Smith (Ride For Recovery organizer) on a bicycle ride and was so impressed to learn about what he is doing,” said Betty Jean. “When I realized that the ride was coming right through Monticello, I knew that Monticello Presbyterian Church and our community needed to be involved.”
Organizer Nathan Smith explained that the ride’s start last Tuesday was intended to begin at around 8 a.m. from Lawrenceville but that some navigation logistics pushed the start time back a bit. He also said that there were several riders, approximately 25, that began the journey with the group to show support of the cause but did not intend to make the entire four day journey to Orlando.
As the cyclists arrived in Monticello shortly after noon, Nathan explained that their start had not been without some minor hiccups. As the leader he cycled ahead of the others and support vehicles following a brief stop in Covington. Once at MPC, he learned the remaining cyclists had been stopped along Hwy. 11 north by a local deputy for impeding traffic. Thus the cyclists loaded their bikes onto the support vehicles and drove into Monticello.
“The start of our journey (today) has been much like the road to recovery—with obstacles along way,” the organizer said of the ride during their rest stop at MPC.
“From the morning’s late start to navigation issues to traffic woes but that’s O.K. because no successful journey is without problems,” he said.
All of the riders and support staff on the Ride For Recovery have their own recovery journeys whether it directly involves them or someone they love and want to support. B. J. Rapp of Orlando made the journey to Lawrenceville to be a part of the ride as support staff to the cyclists.
As a family member of someone in recovery, she said that one person’s addiction can and does effect everyone around them and therefore it’s natural for those affected to be a part of the solution.
Also joining the ride were Cindy Ellington and Dee Cunniffe, both of England, who landed in Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Airport on 9/11. Cindy made the journey to support the cyclists and Dee, a long-ride cyclist in training, had prepared to cycle to Orlando.
Cindy, 38, described herself as a recovering alcoholic who has been in recovery for just over a year.
“It feels good being in recovery. I used to find myself acting out, not doing well in school with a lack of focus,” she explained. “Growing up my mother was an alcoholic so perhaps that made it easier for me to fall into the pattern but we are both much better now.”
Cindy credits a large part of her success over the past year to Dee as her mentor.
“Dee has been remarkable in showing me the way to recovery and healing over the past year.”
The English duo were planning to fly out of Orlando to London this week following the conclusion of the ride. Both were very excited about participating in the ride planned for UK in 2017.
Once back on the road the cyclists, along with Betty Jean, traveled to Macon where they stopped at the Rescue Mission of Middle Georgia. The group planned an overnight stay in Macon before heading to Tifton on Wednesday.
When all was said and done and the ride concluding last Friday, Nathan had nothing but good things to report about the 500-mile ride.
“The trip was unbelieveably successful,” he remarked. “People would see the car and stop us to offer us encouragement or tell their story. I had one person who pulled up next to me while I was riding to offer us money.”
With the inaugural ride in the books, Nathan was looking ahead to the next ride in March. The organizer said that plans were being made to institute a live time tracker so supporters could tune in anytime for location updates.
Ride to Recovery participants pictured above include (left to right) Dewayne Sapp, Cindy Ellingham, B.J. Rapp, J.R. Morgan, Nathan Smith, Betty Jean Jordan, and Dee Cunniffe.
For more information about Ride for Recovery visit online at recoverycyclist.com or cametobelieve.org.
