Riding with Healing Heroes in Las Vegas

A friend of mine who is a Navy veteran convinced me to participate with him in a Ride 2 Recovery "Honor Ride" that occurred in Las Vegas over the Veterans Day weekend.

Ride 2 Recovery is a charitable organization that promotes group cycling as a therapy for veterans who can benefit. Resources and events run from indoor spinning classes to multi-day challenge rides. Modified bikes are provided for those with physical challenges.

An Honor Ride is a public event that invites the cycling community to ride alongside these "Healing Heroes" in supported rides of varying lengths. It also serves as a fundraiser for the charity. The Las Vegas event had three routes from 18 to 80 miles in length in a single day. My friend and I chose to take the long route which would take us out along Lake Mead.

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e7...r-map-full.png

There were probably 400 to 500 or more riders participating in this event, and we all started en masse at around 9:00 in the morning. You can see some of us waiting to start at the Mandalay Bay Resort.

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e7...Ride/r2r-6.jpg

The city closed Las Vegas Blvd. ("the strip") to allow us to pass in an orderly fashion.

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e7...Ride/r2r-2.jpg

As the ride progressed, riders thinned out. Some remained with motorcycle escorts, while others rode at their own pace. Here I am, still on the strip, ahead of a small group.

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e7...Ride/r2r-1.jpg

Once away from the urban area, we were pretty much left to ride at our own pace. Sometimes we rode alongside others, sometimes not.

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e7...Ride/r2r-3.jpg

Here's a photo op of my friend and I at the entrance to the Lake Mead NRA.

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e7...Ride/r2r-4.jpg

Including riding to/from my hotel to the start/finish, I rode 84 miles that day and went home with a t-shirt and participant's medal.

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e7...Ride/r2r-5.jpg

Many more photos can be found at Ride 2 Recovery's Facebook page. There is also a youtube video taken by one of the riders. It covers the first part of the ride down the strip, but it's over 34 minutes long. My friend and I appear about 3:14 to 3:20.

http://youtu.be/FFVIQAhzB-0

Awesome! :)

Awesome (& thank you for sharing something positive about Las Vegas) ....


C J

Very nice