Local cyclists plan cross-country trek
It will be only a little more intense than usual.
Every spring, Charles Fox and his bicyclist buddies go for a two- or three-week ride, covering up to 500 miles of terrain. They've cycled the Blue Ridge Parkway. They've trekked from Delaware to Charleston. They've ridden from Tampa Bay to the Lowcountry.
The group will include from five to more than 20 riders, most in their 60s and health-conscious. Some have struggled through physical problems that have only strengthened their determination, Fox said. He typically assumes responsibility for the logistics.
During the Christmas holidays, a member of the staff at Fox Music House, which Fox owns, was killed in a single-vehicle crash on Interstate 26. Among those responding to the scene of the accident was someone from the Coastal Crisis Chaplaincy.
That got Fox thinking. Why not organize a bike trip to raise money for the chaplaincy?
The cross-country, 3,110-mile journey will adhere to the "Southern Tier" route set forth by the Adventure Cycling Association. The team will begin in San Diego then roll through Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida, ending in St. Augustine.
Fox said he hopes to raise at least $36,000, representing a $36 donation from 1,000 people. So far, he has notified people through a letter and e-mail campaign and word of mouth, he said. Fox will maintain a blog that keeps visitors apprised of progress and facilitates donations.
The money raised will be used to start an endowment for the chaplaincy.
"We're honored that Charles has chosen us as his charity this year," said the Rev. Rob Dewey, senior chaplain of the ministry.
The new endowment will ensure that the chaplaincy will continue for a long time, he said. "We're delighted he's helping keep us afloat during these hard economic times."
The ecumenical chaplaincy was founded in 1992 by Dewey, a former police officer, as a ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina and became a stand-alone nonprofit in 1994. It provides pastoral care and counseling to employees and families of law enforcement and emergency service agencies as well as the general public, assists the coroner in notifying individuals who have lost a family member, helps the Mobile Crisis Unit and SWAT teams in emergency situations, and visits crime victims and families after an incident.
In 2000, Fox made his first cross-country bike trek, accompanying friend Danny Leonard, who had just won a battle against leukemia. Fox did it, despite being out of shape and inexperienced, to raise awareness about the cancer that nearly overcame his friend, he said.
Since then, Fox has become something of a biking fanatic. On this trip, the group will spend 42 days and 41 nights en route, mostly sleeping in quarters provided by hosts, though camping equipment likely will be used, Fox said. They will travel an average of 75 miles a day.
The first day of riding is April 1.
