Cyclists took to the road this past weekend as part of the First Annual Ride for the Red Campaign to raise funds for the Cherokee County Chapter of the American Red Cross. While it was a cold, blustery day, riders were enthusiastic about the event, which proved to be a success.

The motorcycle ride spanned some 40 miles through Cherokee County’s most scenic routes, including Little River Canyon. Riders departed Gadsden State Community College-Cherokee around 10 a.m. and returned around noon where they were treated to lunch and door prizes all in the name of raising funds for the Red Cross Heroes Campaign.

Red Cross hopes to raise at least $25,000 through this year’s event.

“We are looking for a good crowd,” said Shelia Barrett, chairperson, Red Cross Heroes Campaign. “We have raised right at $10,000 so far. And we still have several events to go and money that hasn’t been turned in. We hope to get close to $25,000.”

Chad Steed’s team sponsored the Ride for the Red event.

“We have high expectations but we also understand that this is our first one,” said Steed. “It is a learning process. We are excited about this and hopefully it can be an annual event that we can do for the Red Cross.”

One of the participating riders was Ken Prickett, owner of a 2004 Harley Davidson.

“I am looking forward to it,” said Prickett. “I ride in rides about three times a year, especially if it is for a good cause. I’m just along for the ride. I don’t know where I am going. I’m just going to follow the leader.”

Prickett said he started riding about four and a half years ago.

“I am a senior citizen rider,” said Prickett. “My stepkids had motorcycles. They would go on rides and I wouldn’t get to go because I didn’t have one. So I bought one.”

Despite their sometimes dangerous reputation, motorcycles are about as safe as the driver decides to make them, Prickett said.

“You’ve got to respect them,” said Prickett. “A lot of your accidents are caused by the motorcycle rider. There’s getting to be more and more of that, not paying attention.”

Centre Police Chief Val Courtney was another participating rider.

“It will be a good ride,” said Courtney. “Any ride is a good ride. This is the first one so far this fall that I know of here. And there will probably be some more different type of rides. I just hate it that the weather didn’t cooperate.”

Scott Arnold, owner of Deep South Cycle Repair, Inc. of Cedar Bluff, also joined Saturday’s Ride for the Red Crew. Arnold, a native of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., has been riding since 2005.

“It was one of those funny instances where I was at a dealership and I probably shouldn’t have been buying a motorcycle at the time, but we wound up buying a motorcycle anyway,” said Arnold. “My friend went in there to buy one, I looked at this one and said ‘why don’t you sell me one?’ Six to eight months later, I was on a Homestead motor speedway learning how to race. And I raced for two years down in Florida and after that, I wound up here due to medical issues.”

Arnold moved in with his parents in Cedar Buff about two years ago. He saw an item in a local newspaper, which made him decided to enter Ride for the Red.

“My mom said, ‘Are you going to do this ride?’” said Arnold. “I said, ‘what ride?’ She said, ‘the ride for the Red Cross.’ They convinced me to come here and do it.”

Karlene Prickett, executive director, Cherokee County Chapter of the American Red Cross, said she was pleased with the inaugural ride event.

“This is our first one and we are having to learn a few things but it is going to turn out really well,” said Prickett. “A lot of chapters have had them all over the country but this is the first one we have had in this area. So we are real excited. Every time a new bike comes in we are that much more excited.”

For more information or to make a contribution to the Red Cross Heroes Campaign, call Shelia Barrett at (256)927-6342 or contact any team captain. Team captains for 2009 are Jason Dawson, Cathy Griffeth, Laura St. Clair, Chad Steed and Mary Ann Studdard.