Despite rain, no shortage of inspiration at 'Ride for the Rock'

Overcast skies and damp roadways may have led to lower attendance at the second annual "Ride for the Rock" at Rock Springs Baptist Church.

But there was no shortage of inspiration.

Following a heartfelt prayer of thanks, about 40 motorcyclists and their rearseat passengers rolled out of the church parking lot with a rumble of thunder from their exhaust pipes and smiles on their faces for a 50-mile round-trip on meandering country roads.

And while the trip may have started out under grey clouds, rays of sunshine would peek through soon enough.

For many attendees, an otherwise perfect ride for a fine cause was made even better by the presence of Tommy Wright.

Battling back from surgery for a brain tumor, the once avid motorcycle rider from North Carolina was a special guest of honor at the "Ride for the Rock." He had been in the hospital earlier in the week and Rev. Brian Harris of Rock Springs Baptist Church said many people had been praying that Wright would be able to attend.

With a little help from friends, Wright was given a prime seat on the back of a three-wheeled motorcycle — a perch from which he could simply sit back, watch green pastures fly by, and enjoy the wind in his face once again.

"Oh, it was absolutely fabulous," Reca Wright wrote in an e-mail when asked about her husband's trip. "Tommy made the whole ride, roundtrip. He smiled the entire time."

She added that she was humbled by the open arms of the Rock Springs Baptist Church family and the way they made her family feel so much at home.

"This was such an awesome day for us," she wrote. "God is so good and continues to provide for 'my Tommy' every day. Soon, very soon, Tommy will be back on his bike. This was the much-needed boost that Tommy needed to focus more on getting better."

Harold Stroup, co-founder of the Wings of Eagles Bike and Prison Ministry, said Tommy Wright is a familiar face at many rides in the area and that a lot of people were praying for not only his recovery but also for a little consideration from his doctors.

"We'd all been praying his doctors would let him ride today," Stroup said.

The Ride for the Rock began last year as a senior class project for Kings Mountain High School student Jessica Anderson, who now is a freshman at the University of South Carolina.

All of the proceeds from the event are going towards construction of a new family life center at the church.

About 60 riders participated last year and more were expected this year. But damp weather conditions likely kept many people away. Still, Rev. Harris said he expects the Ride for the Rock to remain an annual event.

"Motorcycle enthusiasts are always looking for a good ride," he said.

The church plans to start construction of the family life center in the near future and hopes it will be open by this time next year, Rev. Harris said.

A non-rider, Rev. Harris had planned to once again tackle the distance on a bicycle. Set back by a cold the past week, however, Rev. Harris enlisted another church member, Daniel Schaeffer, to take his place in the lineup.

All wasn't for naught, though. Rev. Harris held up a donation pledge for $100 which mandated he didn't get on his bike.