The planning it takes to put this ride together is a lot of work. Work that starts in October for a May ride. There’s the ride planning, the personal planning, the financial planning, the media planning, and we even had a meeting to plan about the plan. It all adds up when we finally get to pull out of town. Thanks to everyone who came downtown, it was a wonderful send-off. Also, a special thank you to the CPD Motor Squad for getting us on the road safely.

This year, I’d like to take questions and make this interactive for you and me. What’s your favorite part of the ride? Going out west. What is the worst city to ride through? New York City, but we’ll take a crack at LA this year, so stand by. What’s your favorite thing to eat? Gas station sushi or roller dogs…NOT…cheeseburgers. It’s really hard to mess up a cheeseburger! What or who do you miss the most? Easy, my wife, but it’s a close second with the grandkids. Speaking of grandkids, my sweet little Piper asked a question. She watches our YouTube videos, and she was in a commercial that we filmed, so she likes to watch herself. She asked, “Why do the Miracle Riders ride for that little boy who drowned?” So let me answer. Fundraising is critical. The support we are able to provide with your help is truly making an impact.

However, telling the story. We are telling the story of children in Columbus, telling the story of WHY we ride is just as important.

Piper, it is important that we tell the story of Lyle Meeks. We need to recognize the joy he brought to his family. We need to celebrate a child's life, even if it's far too short for us. We must honor it.

Brian Brock