On Sunday, July 24, over 150 riders participated in the 4th Annual Greatest Escape Motorcycle Rally for Mesothelioma Research. Worthington
& Caron was proud to once again serve as lead sponsor and participate
in this one-of-a-kind motorcycle ride!
Riders of all types amassed at Glendale Harley Davidson for the start of
the ride. A number of Harley and Indian riders showed up on sparkling
V-twin monsters. Others arrived on custom, restored vintage, and side-car
rolling works of art. Still others showed up on racy sport bikes, rugged
adventure bikes, and a variety of laid back cruisers.
Riders at their destination - Newcomb's Ranch
At 10 a.m. sharp, the “thundering herd” rolled out with a full
police escort. Normally impatient LA motorists cheered and waved as the
procession of riders navigated the first mile of city streets before hitting
the open road leading to Angeles National Forest. The riders then settled
in for over 30 miles of twists and turns as they climbed over 5,000 feet
to the top Angeles Crest Highway and their destination, legendary roadhouse
Newcomb’s Ranch.
At Newcomb’s Ranch, riders and others who drove up on four wheels
were treated to a BBQ lunch and cold Worthy Brewing beer under the redwoods.
Many danced to the classic rock sounds of Cherry and the Bulldogs.
Cherry and the Bulldogs rock out on stage.
The Greatest Escape motorcycle ride is a yearly fundraiser for the
Pacific Mesothelioma Center (PMC), a non-profit medical research institute dedicated to finding cures
for mesothelioma, a cancer caused by asbestos. Under the direction of
renowned surgeon Dr. Robert Cameron, PMC conducts research at two separate
labs in Los Angeles.
Dr. Cameron and a team of nurses from the
West Los Angeles VA Medical Center were in attendance, as well as the PMC’s lead researcher, Ray Wong,
who defied all medical researcher stereotypes by riding his Suzuki sport
bike clad in racing leathers.
Researcher Ray Wong goes into detail on some of PMC's news.
During one of the band’s breaks, Dr. Cameron took the mic to express
his thanks for everyone’s support of PMC, addressing the mostly
leather-clad crowd of riders with the same ease as he would a gathering
of doctors in lab coats. Dr. Cameron shared exciting news about a promising
new immunotherapy drug developed at PMC, and invited researcher Ray Wong,
still clad in riding gear, to explain some of the details. The news was
greeted with loud cheers from everyone in attendance.
Dr. Robert Cameron addresses the crowd to express his thanks.
The band returned to the stage and the festivities continued well into
the afternoon. Riders and attendees enjoyed good times with friends, new
and old, with the satisfaction of supporting a worthy cause that’s
making a difference for mesothelioma sufferers.
The event was another huge success, raising over $61,000.
We wish to thank Freddie and his crew at Newcomb’s Ranch, Glendale
Harley Davidson, the Jarvis family, all of the vendors who participated
in the event and donated raffle prizes, with a special thank you to Clare
Cameron, Bill Cameron, Dr. Robert Cameron, Victoria Adams, Steve Mascoli
and all of the PMC volunteers who worked so hard to make this year’s
ride a success.
John and Suzanne Caron with PHLBI's Victoria Adams.
Looking forward to “getting the motors running and heading out on
the highway” with everyone next year!!
Magnus Walker with the Redline Ravens.