Wednesday
September 18, 2024 
As if pedaling some West Virginia hills during a recent charity 500-miles-in-eight-days bike trip wasn’t daunting enough, the Ride for Runaways crew endured a few near-100-degree days as well.
Well, it’s all just part of the challenge and Levittown’s Joe Boyce can attest to that.
The estimated $12,000 he personally helped raise for Anchor House, the Trenton-based charity, made the whole experience worthwhile.
Anchor House puts a roof over the heads of abused, unwanted and homeless children. Food and clothing are also provided.
No one expects temperatures in mid-July to be comfortable for two-wheel travel but the last thing the cyclists needed on their trek from Virginia to Trenton was some real scorchers.
This was Boyce’s 16th Ride and he can’t recall a more grueling test, at last not those first few days.
“This might have been the hardest Anchor House I ever did. The first day was like 78 miles with an overall elevation climb of 5,000 feet; second day was 87 miles, 4,000 feet,” Boyce said of the early conditions. “That was in 90-plus degree heat.
“And that was followed by the next two days, which were close to 100 degrees. The first four days were just miserably hot. I spoke to some longtime veterans, including some people who have done it almost 30 times. They were saying the first day might have been the hardest day they’ve ever had.”
Even getting up at the crack of dawn provided little relief. The high humidity just wouldn’t quit.
Any thought of changing the schedule and waiting a few days was quickly dismissed because the hotels are all booked in advance.
Besides, plowing through this atmospheric swamp makes for some great stories, right?
More than a hundred riders were all smiles when they reached the Quaker Bridge Mall in Lawrence, N.J., on July 20. They had achieved their goal of generating over a half-million bucks ($501,000) for area youth.
“I was a little surprised we went over $500,000,” Boyce said. “When it was announced there were plenty of cheers. Everyone went wild. That was our goal and we exceeded it.”
The Ride for Runaways has raised millions of dollars over the years and dedicated riders such as the 63-year-old Boyce see the value in such a worthwhile endeavor for young recipients.
“It also provides educational opportunities for them,” Boyce pointed out. “There have been many, many success stories of people going on in their careers as lawyers and other types of professions at a high rate.
“Biking provides a lot of joy, getting in shape. When you put Anchor House in the mix, it provides more meaning to the sweat and tears you’re putting in. Especially for children who are unwanted. It gives you a good feeling, a sense of purpose. It’s a feeling like you’re not doing something for yourself, helping someone who really needs it.”
During his months-long training season Boyce can ride as many as 2,000 miles. He receives valuable company from dedicated cyclists such as Jay Ricco, Bill Schaffling, Jenn Steen, Matt Krince and Natacha Smith. That helped enable Boyce to maintain a 16-miles-per-hour pace, even in some of the Appalachian Mountains’ steepest climbs.
“I wasn’t trying to get up the hills anyway fast,” Boyce said. “I was just trying to be smooth and steady. There were a lot of people who got cramps, missed a day or two.
“People were definitely commenting on the heat. Among my inner circle we did talk about that, the hottest summer on record. It was very hot.”
While the weather conditions may have made things uncomfortable, Boyce was ready for any sort of weather challenge. As mentioned in a previous column, his participation in triathlons has aided his training.
“I feel very good about what I’m doing now,” he said. “I’m still doing some of the best riding I’ve ever done.
“That has a lot to do with my training and my training partners. I’m running well in these triathlons. All that is definitely helping for sure. I was very happy with my overall fitness. This year was probably my best. Maybe not as many biking miles but cross-training miles yes.”
Some other Bucks County riders in the RFR included Bill Garrett and John Telencio. Also from this area was Mark Grassman, who operated the support truck along the way.
At some point in every ride, participants might question why they keep coming back year after year. But they still do.
“It’s just very gratifying,” Boyce said. “I feel like it was a great accomplishment, not just the riding but achieving our goal on the last day of our ride was very satisfying.”
There’s still time to make a donation. Visit anchorhouseride.rallybound.org/classic/Joe for more information.
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