April 27, 2011 is a date that will remain emblazoned on the hearts of Alabamians forever.
We were ripped apart yet united by a community of love in a time of great sadness and need.
Enter: Bo Jackson. Bo sat in his home in Chicago watching stories of the devastation of his home state. He knew he had to do something. To rebuild, repair, and protect. To remember the 243 lives lost on that day.
One year later, Alabama’s athletic ambassador formed a team of local and celebrity riders—including Lance Armstrong, Ken Griffey Jr., Al Joyner, and Scottie Pippen—to ride and raise funds for those still in recovery in what would become fondly known as Bo Bikes Bama.
As we approach the fifth annual ride on Saturday, April 30th, we’re reflecting on our involvement over the years and all that has been accomplished through the ride. In Year 1, we joined fellow producing partners Trek, Trek Travel, and Nike as local experts on the PR, social, and creative fronts to organize and promote a five-day ride spanning the path of the 2011 tornadoes.
The ride became an annual event in April 2013 when Bo returned to Cordova, AL, one of the hardest-hit cities of the 2011 outbreak. Year-after-year, the ride continues to grow both in numbers and in the hearts of the riders.
One hundred participants per day rode with Bo in Year 1. Three hundred participants turned out in Cordova. And this year, we are on track to hit a record breaking 1,000 riders.
