2016

Dear Family and Friends,

I am excited to write to you about the 2016 edition of the Copper Triangle bike ride. It is hard to believe that this will be the 10th year that I have ridden in the ride to raise money and awareness for Parkinson’s research. It was only yesterday I was working on a hot weekend in Denver and having a quick bite at Tokyo Joe’s restaurant to break up the day. I noticed a flyer on the table about a charity bike ride to raise money for Parkinson’s Research. By this time my father, Wild Bill,

had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s for over five years. I had always thought and trying to find a way to help out and what could be better than getting on the bike for almost 80 miles in the Colorado High Country. I immediately signed up for the ride and created a fund raising page to support the cause. My expectations and hopes were that a few friends would support me, boy was I wrong. That first year I was a top fundraising Jennie, my mom and brother Nate finish 2015 ride and the momentum has not slowed down.

Since that initial start a short 10 years ago I have founded Wild Bill’s Warriors, raised close to $100,000 to go towards Parkinson’s and brain related injury causes and am honored to be hosting a gathering for all fundraisers this year at the Copper Triangle in honor of my father. I am also excited to announce that Wild Bill’s Warriors has made a pledge to the Davis Phinney Foundation that will match a group of fundraisers totals up to $7,500 this year. It’s been a hell of a run and I could not have done it without you.

This year my mom and I will setoff again August 6th to conquer the 78 mile ride. Jennie and brother Nate made an appearance last year, but have “commitments” this year to take them out of the saddle. Nate is still trying to get a tour card so he’s teeing off for his club’s golf championship that weekend. You can judge if that is a worthy reason to miss out on 78 miles with my mom and me on a tandem!! Jennie went for the mother of all excuses and is going to become a mother November 3rd!! We could not be more excited to be parents. Already thinking about ways we can get a Thule Chariot strapped to the back of the tandem to get the little one up there next year J. Brookie is taking another hiatus with the newest member of the clan, KAR (Kennedy Ann Rittenberry).

The beat goes on though so mom and I have been training hard this summer to keep the drive alive.

Last year the ride once again raised over $10,000 so thank you all so much for the support. Wild Bill’s Warriors made a donation of $2,500 to the Clubhouse again in Streator, IL, which benefits individuals who are recovering from traumatic brain injuries.

Friends of my father’s from Clubhouse still say hello when I am back home, which is always such a treat to know their mission is still so active and achieving such great success in individual’s lives. $7,5000 went to the Davis Phinney Foundation in the pledge mentioned above.

A day does not go by that I do not think about my father and especially now with so much going on in my life. I know he would have been an amazing grandfather. The one who would make my hair stand on end because of what he would by teaching the grandchild, be it how to shot a potato gun, launch a cherry bomb or pull start a 1922 Model T. But he’s always alive and well each and everday in the people that he touched and the memories that he made with all of us.

As always thank you so much for your love, support and kindness each and every year.

Please visit www.wildbillswarriors.org to support this year’s ride.

~BE WILD