ROBERTSDALE, Alabama -- On Saturday, June 8 a group of eight cyclists from Colorado, Ohio, Idaho and California embarked on a 1,000 journey to raise money and awareness for Huntington’s Disease, and you can join them.

On Friday and Saturday, June 14 and 15, Pedal the Gulf for Huntington’s Disease, which began seven days before in Galveston, Texas, will pass through Robertsdale, stopping at Bethel Baptist Church en route to the Huntington’s Disease Society of America Convention, which will be held June 21-23 in Jacksonville, Fla.

“We’re a pretty informal group,” said Marie Nemec, who  organized the first ride in 1999 with author Carmen Leal and Charlotte Reicks. “We organize each ride based on where the convention is going to be that year, then backtrack from there. People who suffer from Huntington’s Disease go through a very tough time and we wanted to do something tough to support them and raise awareness for the disease.”

You can join as a guest rider. All you have to do is contact Nemec by calling 970-250-5997 or email ronnemec@gmail.com and let her know where you would like to join the ride and how long you can ride with them. You need to bring your own bicycle and you have to make arrangements for your own return.

Huntington’s Disease is a neurological, genetic disease passed from parent to child that affects about one in 10,000 Americans. The disease causes degeneration of brain cells, resulting in the loss of ability to walk, think, talk, reason and swallow.

This year’s ride, and the 14 others that have been held before, is an epic journey whose roots began 46 years ago when Marjorie Guthrie, widow of folk singer Woody Guthrie, founded the Committee to Combat Huntington’s Disease in 1967.

The group evolved into the Huntington’s Disease Society of America, which will hold its 28th annual convention this year.

In 1997, Nemec and Leal, author of Faces of Huntington’s Disease, met on the Christian Writer’s Group list Website and the ride was born after Nemec attended the 13th Annual HDSA Convention in Denver in 1998.

She has since participated in all 15 rides beginning with Bike for the Cure ‘99 from Santa Monica, Calif., to Chincoteague, Va. Last year’s ride, Venture to Vegas, went from Grand Junction, Colo., to Las Vegas.

Nemec met Reicks, who is also a resident of Grand Junction, Colo., through a mutual friend and the two have paired up for every ride but one ever since. Reicks missed the 2000 ride. Other participants include Gary Heiman of West Jefferson, Ohio, Sherri Kole of Lewiston, Idaho, Mary Ann Taylor of Truckee, Calif., Heather Chynoweth of Fruita, Colo., Hope Chynoweth of Grand Junction, Colo., and Devon Walker of Columbus, Ohio.

This year’s ride will be held in the memory of Debby Sue Martin, who died March 2 of this year. While the ride has passed through the Mobile area before, Nemec said, this is the first time the route will take them through Robertsdale.

On Friday, June 14, riders will go from Ocean Springs, Miss., to Robertsdale, then on Saturday, June 15 will ride from Robertsdale to Crestview, Fla.

In addition to being a guest rider, you can make a donation to the HDSA. You can mail a donation to Pedal the Gulf for HD c/o Marie Nemec, 3087 - A 1/2 Road, Grand Junction, CO 81503-9678. You can also make a donation through the secure website, www.firstgiving.com/bikeforcure.

You can also purchase a T-shirt by making a check payable to Marie Nemec to the same address listed above. T-shirts cost $15 for a short sleeve, adult sizes Small to XL; $18 for short sleeve, XXL and XXXL; or $20 for a long sleeve, any adult size, plus $4 for postage.

Nemec will also be blogging along the route. You can subscribe by sending an email to ronnemec@gmail.com and the ride can be tracked at www.bikeforthecure.org.

For more information about the HDSA, call 1-800-345-HDSA or go to www.hdsa.org. Information about the HD Advocacy Center can be found at www.hdac.org; and the HD Lighthouse at www.hdlighthouse.org.