By Stephen Smoot
Throughout the morning last Friday, as they made their way south from Bedford on US 220, the Kyle Petty Charity ride endured less than ideal conditions for motorcyclists. Steel gray skies, unseasonably chilly temperatures, and occasional rain made the ride biting and raw.
Until, that is, they hit their scheduled rest and fan stop at Moorefield.
Once they pulled in, parked, and started emptying Sheetz of its hot dog inventory, the sun fought its way through the clouds and shone on their blessed endeavor. After all, the main mission lay in raising funds for Victory Junction, their camp for children with a wide array of challenges.
The only things brighter than the sun that warmed them were the faces of hundreds of fans from all over who turned out to get a glimpse of their heroes.
Kyle Petty was joined by NASCAR’s reigning “king,” his father Richard. Other notables who joined the run included Ken Schrader, former NASCAR broadcaster Rick Allen Schwieger, and Ambassador Hershel Walker.
Walker, who won the Heisman Trophy at the University of Georgia, went on to NFL stardom with the Dallas Cowboys, Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles, and New York Giants. President Donald Trump’s nominee to be Ambassador to the Bahamas. He would be the second retired NFL player to serve in that position, former Washington Redskin and Pittsburgh Steeler Sid Willliams serving as the first.
“The people up here are great,” shared Kyle Petty with enthusiasm. He added that “I was in Bedford last night. Anywhere we go, people come out and just talk.” The riders enjoyed every stop full of welcoming people despite the less than welcoming weather much of the time in the days leading up to their Moorefield stop.
He described some of the highlights on the trip, such as musicians on the ride receiving an invitation to perform on stage at Cleveland’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Another favorite stop was Niagara Falls where they rode on the Maid O’ the Mist boat that takes visitors close enough to feel the spray.
When asked where the ride had not been, but wants to go, Petty answered “Alaska, but that’s probably not going to happen.”
Petty explained what made the West Virginia leg of the ride stand out. He smiled and explained “it’s the people and the scenery,” as well as the curvy roads and “the fog laying on top of the mountains.” He gestured behind him when he mentioned “hundreds of people standing in line.”
“You don’t get rides like this out West,” he also said.
His wife Morgan works tirelessly to plan the logistics of each trip, which includes over 200 riders, multiple large trucks, a full-sized bus, and accompanying vehicles.
She expressed special praise for the Hardy, Mineral, Hampshire, Grant, and Pendleton County Sheriff Departments, describing them as very responsive and easy to work with as she charted their route down US 220.
Dave Wanzie of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania joined the ride for the first time ever. Anyone can join and ride along, which makes the experience so special for so many.
He described the experience as being a “great family after a couple of days . . . it’s nice to go with family and the camaraderie” on “a great charity ride.”
Walker, who along with the other sports legends made his way down the line taking selfies and signing autographs, shared that “I love anything with a motor!” He told of how he had first heard of the ride 19 years ago, saying at first he thought they were crazy, but joined up half way through in Denver.
The Ambassador has been a ride regular ever since. “I have enjoyed it so much. A lot of people here are like family,” he said, but then got to the core purpose, quoting the Hall of Famer who first coached him professionally.
“Coach Landry said ‘if you take something out of society, put something back in.”
He then shared his solidarity with the children who benefit from the ride, speaking of his early childhood struggling with weight and a speech impediment, stating that “We all need help sometimes.”
Of his experience, he shared “I love seeing how beautiful the United States of America truly is.”
NASCAR legend Ken Schrader, one year shy of seventy and not yet retired from racing competition, also greeted fans. With a bag of Sheetz-made victuals waiting in his hands, he stated that part of his love of joining up was “selfish reasons. It’s fun . . . it’s neat to go around and see people supporting it.”
He also enjoyed “people all over waving American flags.”
Unlike the retirees, however, Schrader had to get right back to work the very next day. He later got to see a lot more of West Virginia as he traveled from the Charity Ride terminus in Hot Springs, Virginia to race at the recently repaved Ona Speedway in Cabell County, just outside of Huntington.
Broadcast legend Rick Allen Schwieger rode along with the more than 200 others as well. He also spoke of his enjoyment of experiencing the area on the back of a motorcycle with 200 of his best friends, saying it’s “beautiful, the countryside, and mostly the people are wonderful.”
On such a long ride with people who get closer than family, sometimes hijinks ensue. Schwieger shared one such story.
He told of driving on a stretch of road directly after a heavy rainstorm. “For some reason,” he explained, “we had a road that the right side of the road was filled with water.”
“We always try to be as safe as we can,” he went on to say, and then told of how the motorcyclists were channeled onto the left side of the road to avoid the danger of hydroplaning, but also of getting uncomfortably sopping wet.
Those plans, unfortunately, came undone!
He told how Rutledge Wood, an NBC racing analyst who hosts Hot Wheels: Ultimate Challenge and also drives the Charity Ride photo van, decided to have a little fun. He accelerated the van through the waterlogged right lane.
Wood unintentionally launched a wall of water that “drenched Morgan” and many of the others riding in the left lane. Wood felt very bad about it and ever since, the riders good-naturedly “give him a little bit of grief” from time to time.
As the riders enjoyed their time spent in Moorefield, the clouds broke completely, the sun warmed the day, and the riders one by one exited the parking lot.
Behind them was Pennsylvania and Keyser. In front of them lay the sublime wonder of the South Branch where it bursts through Petersburg Gap on the way to the lovely mountain-flanked town that also bears that name, then the fun curve-laden miles of road leading south on US 220, what Kyle Petty referred to as “the home road.”
As they headed toward the Queen Anne and Victorian homes lining the Main Street of Franklin, Pendleton County fans had a lookout posted in Upper Tract so that those who came out in the county seat wouldn’t miss the ride as it rumbled through on its way to the Petty homestead in Hot Springs.
