A passion for riding

Simi Valley cyclists dedicate their expertise to Ride for the Red



LONG RIDE—Allyn and Denise Rice make a pit stop at Devil’s Tower in Wyoming during their 4,200-mile bicycle ride across the U.S. in 2012. The couple rode 80 miles per day for nine weeks. They spent most nights camping on school grounds. “This is something every married couple should do,” Allyn Rice said. Courtesy photo

LONG RIDE—Allyn and Denise Rice make a pit stop at Devil’s Tower in Wyoming during their 4,200-mile bicycle ride across the U.S. in 2012. The couple rode 80 miles per day for nine weeks. They spent most nights camping on school grounds. “This is something every married couple should do,” Allyn Rice said. Courtesy photo

In 2012, a group of 40 cyclists set out on a nine-week, 4,200-mile journey from one side of the United States to the other. But for Allyn and Denise Rice, the trip was about more than cycling; it was the fulfillment of a nearly decade-old “dare” between the couple.

“We should do something that really proves our relationship is strong enough,” Allyn used to say to Denise before they married. When she asked what they could do, her longtime riding partner had an answer.

“We should ride our bicycles across the United States,” he would tell her.

The “once-in-a-lifetime” trip, as the two described it during an interview with the Acorn in their Simi Valley home last week, always felt like a joke to the couple, even after nine years of marriage. But in 2012, after both had retired, the lifelong cycling enthusiasts, who are both 65, were finally able to set out on their dream ride.

“It took awhile, but eventually we got the chance,” Denise said.

END OF THE ROAD—Denise and Allyn Rice dip their wheels in the Atlantic Ocean at the conclusion of a 4,200-mile cross-country bicycle ride in 2012. Courtesy photo

END OF THE ROAD—Denise and Allyn Rice dip their wheels in the Atlantic Ocean at the conclusion of a 4,200-mile cross-country bicycle ride in 2012. Courtesy photo

The trip started in Everett, Wash., covering over 4,000 miles to the other side of the country. The route took the group of 40 through the Cascade and Rocky Mountain ranges, past the Great Lakes and out the other side of the Appalachian Mountain range, at a pace of over 80 miles each day.

“It wasn’t easy,” Denise said. “Every day you had to get up and get on your bike, even if you didn’t feel up to it.”

But despite the difficulty, the two loved the sense of accomplishment. Allyn remembers standing on the Rainbow Bridge at Niagara Falls, looking across the border and thinking to himself, “I’ve been everywhere now, you know?”

The two were good friends at Santa Paula High School where they first met. But for the Rices, who graduated in 1972, it wasn’t love at first sight.

“We were not romantically inclined at all,” Allyn said.

“No,” Denise added with a laugh.

The friends moved on with their lives after graduation and grew apart. Decades later, in 2002, Allyn wanted to reconnect with some people from high school. When he heard from a friend that Denise lived only 40 miles away, he got in touch and asked if they could get together for lunch.

“That was dangerous,” Allyn said with a smile. “That lunch has never stopped.”

The pair married in 2003.

Riding for good

When the Rices heard about Operation: Ride for the Red two years ago, they decided to volunteer for the cycling event put on in Camarillo by the Ventura County branch of the American Red Cross.

The first year they worked at a rest stop, putting up signs and handing out water and food to the cyclists. The following year the organizers were looking for extra help, so the Rices took on a bigger role and are now on a steering committee in charge of organizing the event. Their responsibilities include planning the paths the riders will take.

“We realized they needed a little help planning their routes,” Allyn said.

“They were great organizers,” Denise added. “But we had the knowledge of having been on many (long-distance) rides.”

As co-chairs for the event, the two have taken over planning for the 30-, 62- and 100- mile routes, as well as plotting out the rest stops and food for the cyclists.

The idea for the charity ride developed in 2014 when Westlake Village residents Ken Bauer and Diane and Kevin Delson were talking about a way they could serve the community.

“I just remember thinking we need to do something more for the Red Cross,” said Bauer, a member of the board of directors for the Ventura County chapter of the organization.

This year’s May 18 ride will be the fourth annual event.

“It’s a great way of supporting our service members,” Bauer said.

Registration for the ride is open. The cost is $75, $85 or $95 depending on the length of the route. There is a 10% early-bird discount through April 30. Military members and veterans will get 50% off their registration.

Proceeds will go toward Service to the Armed Forces, a Red Cross program which offers services such as financial assistance and veterans programs, including the Hero Care Network, which helps military families access emergency services from anywhere in the world.

For more information on signing up and volunteering, visit www.redcross.org/rideforthered.