Journey Of Hope Makes Stop In Socorro

By John Severance

SOCORRO -- The Journey of Hope cycling team made its stop in Socorro Tuesday, stopping at the Comfort Inn for the night after a 130-mile stage that began in Reserve in the morning.
The Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity has a team of 25 cyclists and seven crew members that are making their way across the country to raise that raises funds and awareness on behalf of people with disabilities in hopes to enhance the quality of their lives.
According to Mike Roux, who is doing public relations for Journey of Hope, they have raised $485,000.
There are two other tours of the United States that are going on simultaneously and they are going to meet in Washington, D.C. on the steps of the Capitol at 11 a.m. on Aug. 14.
“It’s going to be a pretty big deal,” Roux said.
For now, the Journey of Hope team left Socorro Wednesday morning at 6 and headed to Carrizozo.
Tuesday’s stage was the longest of the whole tour, Roux said.
“When we got to Datil, it got really windy,” said rider Corey Dickson from Fort Collins, Colo., who attends Colorado State. “It wasn’t too bad though. All of us are getting in better shape since we started.”
The tour started in San Francisco and the Journey of Hope team made its way down the Pacific Coast Highway. They also made it through Arizona where temperatures reached close to 115 degrees.
Coming to Socorro was a relief, Dickson said.
“This feels great,” he said. “It was so hot in Arizona and this wind just feels so much better.”
Walking around the cyclists in the parking lot of the Comfort Inn, one rider, though was complaining about coming down the hill from Magdalena.
“The wind was so strong that we were only going 15 miles per hour down the hill,” the cyclist said.
Before coming to Reserve on Tuesday, the team had gone from Globe, Ariz., to Lakeside, Ariz., to Reserve.
“Those mountains were pretty big,” Roux said. “Our main concern is safety and that is our biggest priority.”
Journey of Hope, organized by Push America , is a cycling trek. Push America is the national philanthropy of Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity. Every cyclist commits to raising at least $5,000 on behalf of people with disabilities. Combine their individual efforts with corporate sponsorships and the Journey of Hope team will raise more than $500,000 for people with disabilities.

Journey Of Hope Makes Stop In Socorro