2024 Ride 4 Dray Impact
2024 was a remarkable year for the Ride 4 Dray. Two solo rides through the western half of the USA, Dray throwing the first pitch at a St. Louis Cardinals v. Chicago Cubs baseball game in St. Louis, and an abbreviated St. Jude Rides, Peoria to Memphis.
Fabulous experiences and memories were made while spreading the word about childhood cancer and raising funds for the organizations in need of our financial help.
The pictures, videos and words that follow provide a glimpse of the feelings and exhilaration experienced along the way.
But first a quick recap of the financial impact the Ride 4 Dray made in 2024, and over its initial 5 years of existence:
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Total funds raised in 2024 = $52,500
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Donations to cancer organizations in 2024 = $45,500
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St. Jude Children's Research Hospital - $30,500
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OSF HealthCare of Illinois - $10,000
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National Brain Tumor Society - $5,000
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When the Ride 4 Dray was started in the year 2020, we had no idea of the impact it might have. Our original goal was to improve the diagnostic abilities of medical community to detect pediatric brain tumors at the earliest possible stage. To that end we influenced the National Brain Tumor Society to change its list of symptoms to include rapid "loss of weight" to its list of common symptoms. A major achievement! And just as important, the continuous effort to raise awareness and funds at every turn in road. From the U.S.A. to Europe and back, the journey will continue until a cure is discovered. In the five years since its inception, the financial impact of the Ride 4 Dray:
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Total funds raised; 5-year cumulative since 2020: $1,772,000
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Donations to cancer organizations; cumulative since 2020: $1,678,330 (95%)
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OSF HealthCare of Illinois - $1,356,880
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St Jude Children's Research Hospital - $100,500
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Cancer hospitals and organizations across Europe - $75,950
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National Brain Tumor Society - $70,000
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UT Southwest Medical Center - $55,000
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The Mayo Clinic - $20,000
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R4D 2024, part 1 - Route 66
First up, Papa rode the magical "Mother Road - Route 66", from May 20 - June 21. Meandering through the Southwest U.S., attending the RSM US Owners' meeting at the Aria Casino in Las Vegas as a "retired owner", then homeward bound via Death Valley . Bishop CA > Lake Tahoe & Reno, then eastbound along the Lincoln Highway trail via Salt Lake City > Cheyenne > Grand Island NE > before arriving home 30+ days later.
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May 20 - June 27
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33 days
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14 states
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~6,800 miles
A fun day at the ballpark, Busch Stadium that is, with family and friends celebrating St. Jude and Dray's ongoing battle with a brain tumor, was an amazingly great time.
Thank you, Cathy Frietsch, for organizing and coordinating this extra special experience for Dray!
R4D 2024, part 2 - North by Northwest
The second big Ride of 2024 was an epic North by Northwest journey. Starting out from Peoria, a brief overnight in Omaha, then riding onto Rapid City along the route of Wounded Knee and through the Badlands of South Dakota. Onward to Deadwood & Sturgis for several days of sightseeing and touring Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse, and Spearfish. Then onward to Devils Tower and Custer's Last Stand at Little Bighorn. Inspiring sights to behold, before venturing Beartooth Pass and the north entrance of Yellowstone National Park - so cool! Seattle and the Olympic National Park area of Washington were final northwest stops before turning south to along the Oregan coastline with several nights in Astoria and Florence. A beautiful cruise east through forest fires to Crater Lake, then north to Mt Hood, provided postcard images every turn in the road. The route home followed the Lewis & Clark trail eastward to Williston ND. When the L&C trail turned south to Missouri, Papa continued east to the headwaters of the great Mississippi River, across northern Minnesota, the northwest tip of Wisconsin, then through the UP (Upper Peninsula) before heading south across the Mackinaw Bridge into mainland Michigan.
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July 15 - Aug 17
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34 days
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13 states
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~8,500 miles
ST. JUDE RIDES
PEORIA to MEMPHIS 2024
St Jude Rides '24 marked the 18th anniversary of a group of motorcycle enthusiasts taking to the road, traveling 465 miles from Peoria, IL to Memphis, TN to raise money for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (St Jude), raising over $11.8 million, including the 2024 total of $1.3 million.
The remnants of Hurricane Helene inundated the Memphis area with heavy rains, flash floods and strong gusty winds, cutting short the annual excursion of 300+ bikers heading to Memphis. The ride terminated early in Centralia Illinois with a virtual donation to the St. Jude team in Memphis.
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