Oxford to Boxford: A 1,000-mile bike ride to raise funds for ALS research

Rodney McGregor refuses to let two partial knee replacements hold him back.

The 66-year-old has a plan: 17 days and 1,000 miles on a cross-country biking trip for a cause.

On Wednesday, McGregor will start his cycling journey from Oxford, Ohio, to Boxford, Massachusetts, alongside four other cyclists. McGregor, the owner of Crowl Creative Marketing in North Canton, is cycling to raise money for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) research, in honor of his college fraternity brother, Doug McIlvaine.

ALS is a fatal neurodegenerative disease where a person's brain loses connection with their muscles. Every 90 minutes, someone is diagnosed with or dies as a result of ALS, more commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.

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The title of McGregor's donation page reads, "Help me create a world without ALS." The crowdfunding page was created as a part of a larger fundraising campaign: The Oxford to Boxford Ride for Hope.

The campaign was organized with a goal to raise $25,000 for the ALS Association. The hope? Fund ALS research that will produce effective medication or treatment for the disease.

All individual cyclists worked to raise money independently. The group has collectively surpassed the original goal by raising $53,393 and established a new target of $75,000 by the time the 1,000-mile bike ride is complete.

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It all started with a brotherhood – Miami University of Ohio’s Alpha Delta Phi fraternity.

McIlvaine, who lives in Massachusetts, received a devastating ALS diagnosis in 2019 with an estimated two to five years to live.

His fraternity brother and avid cyclist, David Foster of Cincinnati, had an idea – a long distance bike ride to fundraise for ALS in honor of McIlvaine.

“I’ve always wanted to do a long-distance bike ride,” Foster said. “Doug let everyone know he was diagnosed with ALS. I thought, maybe I’ll ride from here to Boston and try to raise money for ALS.”

Foster reached out to fraternity brothers, including McGregor, who lives in Hudson.

“Some of my best lifelong friends are people I met in the fraternity," Foster said. "Some of them today are still great friends helping to step up with this ride."

McGregor was one brother who willingly accepted the invitation to ride across country, despite having both kneecaps replaced in 2021. His motivation? Fitness and lifelong fraternity brothers.

“The thing that I liked about this fraternity was it was a real diverse group of guys,” McGregor said. “I think that diversity makes for a strong house and a strong organization.”

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From Oxford to Boxford: 'The most exciting thing to me is the process.'

McGregor and Foster will start their cycling journey Wednesday in Oxford, home of Miami University and the origin of this story.

“I knew there was a bunch of fraternity brothers that would help,” Foster said. “Some are willing to drive a van across the country and some are flying in for an after-party.”

The two will be joined by three other cyclists for the entirety of the journey, including McIlvaine’s wife, Dolly, and Steve Lopez, an ALS advocate who lost his wife Mary to the disease.

According to McGregor, the group will welcome other cyclists along the way. At times, there may be as many as 10 to 15 riders joining the group. Alongside them for the journey will be several support vans, one of which will be driven by McIlvaine.

Although McIlvaine's 2019 diagnosis was devastating, progression of his ALS has remained slow, allowing him to follow the cyclists during their journey, said McGregor.

Daily bike rides will be 60 to 70 miles. The daily mileage will be split into four trips, consisting of 15 to 17 miles followed by a resting period. The group will take it easy, stopping for meals and local attractions.

After a full day’s cycling, the group will stay at a hotel or Airbnb to recuperate before doing it all over again the next day.

The journey will last 17days, broken up into three miniature journeys. After beginning the trip in Oxford, the group will bike for five days and stop in Cleveland for a day of rest. They will proceed for five days, making a stop in New York and finally biking five more days to finish their journey.

The cyclists will end in Boxford, the city where McIlvaine was born and raised. There, the group will be met with friends and family, celebrating their accomplishment.

McGregor is eager to enjoy the journey.

“The most exciting thing to me is the process," he said. "I just enjoy myself. It’s an accomplishment in my mind to be able to do 1,000 miles.”

He looks forward to riding alongside friends – old and new.

"When you have a group, it's a lot easier to make your goal," McGregor said. "One person on a bike ride is hard. Two is a little easier. Four or five? That's my motivation. I'll be there to make sure everyone finishes the day."

For more information about the team's efforts visit the team fundraising page, the Oxford to Boxford Ride for Hope blog, Instagram, Facebook or email David Foster at oxfordtoboxford23@gmail.com. To track the Oxford to Boxford Ride for Hope, you can follow @oxford2boxford on Twitter for daily updates.

To contact Abreanna Blose, email ablose@gannett.com or call 330-580-8513.

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Rodney McGregor prepares for 1,000-mile bike ride for ALS research