History
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History of the Ride for Runaways
In 1979, a group of concerned citizens founded Anchor House, a shelter for runaway and/or abused teenagers. The Anchor House, Inc. founders used the analogy of a ship to keep it safe in the storm to visualize the mission of the agency. The anchor is supported by links of its chain, which in turn keep the anchor tied to the ship. The founders understood that life's circumstances can cause the links of a family's chain to break down. They created Anchor House, Inc. as a stabilizing place for runaway, homeless, and abused youth.
In 1979, a group of concerned citizens founded Anchor House, a shelter for runaway and/or abused teenagers. The Anchor House, Inc. founders used the analogy of a ship to keep it safe in the storm to visualize the mission of the agency. The anchor is supported by links of its chain, which in turn keep the anchor tied to the ship. The founders understood that life's circumstances can cause the links of a family's chain to break down. They created Anchor House, Inc. as a stabilizing place for runaway, homeless, and abused youth.
It is a safe place to rest, wait through the storm while in crisis and a way to move on when the crisis is calmed. Today, Anchor House has grown into with programs that meet the needs of, teens and young adults. Visit the Anchor House, Inc. site to learn more about Anchor House and its programs.
That same year a small group of young bicyclists created "The Ride for Runaways" with a goal of raising funds to keep the doors of Anchor House, open. The first riders bicycled from Florida to Trenton to earn the pledges promised by their sponsors.
The Ride for Runaways has become an annual, one-week, 500-mile ride and Anchor House has become a multi-service agency for abused, runaway and homeless youth and young adults.
The 6-week Flex challenges were added in 2000 when the Classic Ride could not be held due to the pandemic as its riders have hotel stays. The Flex challenges proved popular for the flexibility of the time and place in which people could participate.
History of the routes
|
Date/Year |
STARTS/Saturday |
Sunday |
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
|
1979, wk1 |
Jacksonville FL |
Brunswick GA |
Savannah GA |
St. George SC |
Florence SC |
Fayetteville NC |
|
|
1979, wk2 |
Wilson NC |
Emporia VA |
Richmond VA |
Arlington VA |
Wilmington DE |
||
|
1980 |
Kittery ME |
Chelsea MA |
Seekong MA |
Mistic CT |
Riverhead NY |
Garden City NY |
Madison NJ |
|
1981 |
Trenton ON |
Kingston ON |
Carthage NY |
Herkimer NY |
Deposit NY |
Port Jervis NY |
Phillipsburg NJ |
|
1982 |
Trenton NC/Bern NC |
Cape Lookout NC |
Avon NC |
Chesapeake VA |
Pokomoke City MD |
Lewes DE |
Hammonton NJ |
|
1983 |
Montreal QC |
Burlington VT |
Rutland VT |
Saratoga NY |
Saugerties NY |
Newburgh NY |
Clifton NJ |
|
1984 |
Benson NC |
Roanoke Rapids NC |
Petersburg VA |
Port Royal VA |
Annapolis MD |
Dover DE |
West Chester PA |
|
1985 |
Niagara Falls ON |
Batavia NY |
Bath NY |
Owego NY |
Hancock NY |
Port Jervis NY |
Easton PA |
|
1986 |
Lennoxville QC |
Lancaster NH |
Lebanon NH |
Brattleboro VT |
Windsor Locks CT |
Danbury CT |
Wayne NJ |
|
1987 |
Christianburg VA |
Natural Bridge VA |
Stauton VA |
Mt Jackson VA |
Martinsburg WV |
Hanover PA |
Downington PA |
|
1988 |
Kennebunkport ME |
Nashua NH |
Sturbridge MA |
Torrington CT |
Poughkeepsie NY |
Port Jervis NY |
Phillipsburg NJ |
|
1989 |
St-Jean-sur-Rich. ON |
S Burlington VT |
Poultney VT |
Latham NY |
Kingston NY |
Port Jervis NY |
Phillipsburg NJ |
|
1990 |
Raleigh NC |
Roanoke Rapids NC |
Chester VA |
Fredricksburg VA |
Alexandria VA |
Annapolis MD |
Millville NJ |
|
1991 |
Magog-Orford ON |
St Johnsbury NY |
West Lebanon NH |
Greenfield MA |
Torrington CT |
Poughkeepsie NY |
Parsipanny NJ |
|
1992 |
Blacksburg VA |
Lexington VA |
Harrisonburg VA |
Front Royal VA |
Frederick MD |
York PA |
Pottstown PA |
|
1993 |
St Catharines ON |
Williamsville N |
Geneseo NY |
Painted Post NY |
Vestal NY |
Clarks Summit PA |
DE Water Gap PA |
|
1994 |
Roanoke Rapids NC |
Williamsburg VA |
Doswell VA |
Warrenton VA |
Frederick MD |
York PA |
Pottstown PA |
|
1995 |
Trenton ON |
Kingston ON |
Fulton NY |
Ithaca NY |
Binghamton NY |
Clarks Summit PA |
E Stroudsburg PA |
|
1996 |
Natural Bridge VA |
Harrisonburg VA |
Stephens City VA |
Martinsburg WV |
Westminster MD |
Strasburg PA |
Pottstown PA |
|
1997 |
St Catharines ON |
Greece NY |
Waterloo NY |
Corning NY |
Binghamton NY |
Clarks Summit PA |
Bushkill PA |
|
1998 |
Henderson NC |
Farmville VA |
Charlottesville VA |
Warrenton VA |
Frederick MD |
York PA |
Pottstown PA |
|
1999 |
Fairview (Erie) PA |
Jamestown NY |
Olean NY |
Corning NY |
Endicott NY |
Clarks Summit PA |
E Stroudsburg PA |
|
2000 |
Natural Bridge VA |
Waynesboro VA |
Woodstock VA |
Martinsburg WV |
Westminster MD |
Strasburg PA |
Pottstown PA |
|
2001 |
Trenton ON |
Kingston ON |
Fulton NY |
Ithaca NY |
Binghamton NY |
Clarks Summit PA |
DE Water Gap PA |
|
2002 |
Martinsburg WV |
Westminster MD |
North East MD |
Easton MD |
Salisburg MD |
Lewes DE |
Hammonton NJ |
|
2003 |
Somerset PA |
Altoona PA |
State College PA |
Selinsgrove PA |
Grantville PA |
Strasburg PA |
Pottstown PA |
|
2004 |
S Burlington VT |
Rutland VT |
Glens Falls NY |
Troy NY |
Kingston NY |
Port Jervis NY |
Phillipsburg NJ |
|
2005 |
McHenry MD |
Cumberland MD |
Martinsburg WV |
Westminster MD |
Aberdeen MD |
Lancaster PA |
Kulpsville PA |
|
2006 |
S Rochester NY |
Waterloo NY |
Corning NY |
Ithaca NY |
Binghamton NY |
Clarks Summit PA |
DE Water Gap PA |
|
2007 |
Harrisonburg VA |
Front Royal VA |
Hagerstown MD |
Westminster MD |
Aberdeen MD |
Lancaster PA |
Kulpsville PA |
|
2008 |
Rutland VT |
Glens Falls NY |
Johnstown NY |
Hamilton NY |
Binghamton NY |
Clarks Summit PA |
Stroudsburg PA |
|
2009 |
Oswego NY |
Geneva NY |
Ithaca NY |
Owego NY |
Clarks Summit PA |
Stroudsburg PA |
Clinton NJ |
|
2010 |
Charlottesville VA |
Culpeper VA |
Winchester VA |
Frederick MD |
Gettysburg PA |
Lancaster PA |
Kulpsville PA |
|
2011 |
Jamestown NY |
Olean NY |
Corning NY |
Binghamton NY |
Clarks Summit PA |
Stroudsburg PA |
Clinton NJ |
|
2012 |
Staunton VA |
Woodstock VA |
Winchester VA |
Frederick MD |
Gettysburg PA |
Lancaster PA |
Kulpsville PA |
|
2013 |
Burlington VT |
Rutland VT |
Glens Falls NY |
Latham NY |
Kingston NY |
Matamoras PA |
Bethlehem PA |
|
2014 |
Lexington VA |
Harrisonburg VA |
Winchester VA |
Hagerstown MD |
Westminster MD |
Lancaster PA |
Kulpsville PA |
|
2015 |
Oswego NY |
Geneva NY |
Corning NY |
Wellsboro PA |
Williamsport PA |
Hazleton PA |
Bethlehem PA |
|
2016 |
Manchester NH |
Leominster MA |
Northampton MA |
Lenox MA |
Kingston NY |
Matamoras PA |
Bridgewater PA |
|
2017 |
McHenry MD |
Somerset PA |
Altoona PA |
State College PA |
Lewisburg PA |
W Hazleton PA |
Bethlehem PA |
|
2018 |
Harrisonburg VA |
Winchester VA |
Frederick MD |
Gettysburg PA |
Gettysburg PA |
Lancaster PA |
Kulpsville PA |
|
2019 |
Auburn NY |
Corning NY |
Wellsboro PA |
Williamsport PA |
Williamsport PA |
Hazleton PA |
Bethlehem PA |
|
2020 |
Virtual Ride* over 6 weeks |
||||||
|
2021 |
Central NJ over 1 week |
||||||
|
2022 |
Charlottesville VA |
Culpeper VA |
Leesburg VA |
Gettysburg PA |
Gettysburg PA |
Lancaster PA |
Lansdale PA |
|
2023 |
Northampton MA |
Northampton MA |
Lenox MA |
Kingston NY |
Kingston NY |
Matamoras PA |
Lebanon NJ |
|
2024
|
Harrisonburg VA | Winchester VA | Chambersburg PA | New Cumberland PA | Strasburg PA | Strasburg PA | Lansdale PA |
