Classic Ride

The Anchor House Foundation
Ride for Runaways Classic Ride

An annual, 500-mile, one-way, 7-day, non-competitive, supported cycling challenge founded in 1979 that raises money to support Anchor House, Inc. in Trenton, NJ.

The mission of Anchor House is to provide youth and young adults who are experiencing abuse, neglect, homelessness, or are aging out of the child welfare system with comprehensive services that offer them and their families the support they need to succeed and thrive.

Other Challenges:
Flex Ride — 6 weeks, 500 miles
Flex Walk/Run — 6 weeks, 100 miles

Reunion & Recruitment
Ride & Social
Oct. 26, 2024

Welcome, previous and interested Anchor House Ride for Runaways participants — Classic Riders and Support Team, Flex Riders and Flex Walkers/Runners!

More

46th Annual
July 2024
Thank you for a successful year!

The Classic Ride – a 500-mile, 7-day, 5-state, one-way, supported road ride from Harrisonburg, VA to Trenton, NJ* for charity.

Participation includes motor coach and bike transport from Trenton, NJ to start, refreshment stops, roving and sweep vehicles, bike mechanic, luggage forwarding and hotel stays, banquet, picnic, t-shirt, police escort for last 10 miles, and closing celebration with friends and family.

Three ways to participate:

— Ride
— Support Team
— Both - the Ride Share Program

Proceeds support Anchor House, a multi-service charitable agency in Trenton, NJ for abused, runaway and homeless youth and young adults. A tour is given to new participants.

“It’s such a great cause, and it’s local, so we can see the effect the Ride has on the House (and vice versa). The Ride really gets in your bloodstream. We’d thought last year would be it, but the itch hit us again, so we’re back!”

— Barb Keener & Ken Sharples

There is a fee to register and participation is a commitment to pay or raise the minimum amount. New Participants will have support with both fundraising and training. The same day as the tour of Anchor House, there is an introduction to fundraising. In a second meeting for new participants, there is an introduction to training for the Ride.

“If you’re worried about whether you can do it, the answer is yes, you can! You don’t need to be an athlete or have a fancy bike to participate; it’s really all about consistent, incremental practice. The Ride community will help you with training and make sure you have everything you need—no one does anything alone or unsupported!”

— Sherry Schweighardt

There’s a different route every year, and this year, there are two new towns that we will stop at — Chambersburg, PA and New Cumberland, PA!

Towns this year:

July 13 — Depart Trenton (NJ) Thunder baseball stadium with a send-off celebration
July 14 — Harrisonburg, VA - start of the Ride
July 15 — Winchester, VA - ride in 4 states in a single day!
(Continued below)

After 46 years, the Ride passes through previous towns, on occasion. We’ve been through Winchester, VA before, but it made for a heart string-plucking surprise:

Q: Tell us about a specific special memory you have from the Ride.

A: “Two years ago meeting a woman in Winchester, VA who had put up signs all along the route thanking the Riders — not uncommon on Day 7 but this was the first day of the Ride. We met her at the hotel and it turns out she had stayed at Anchor House as a young teen. Now in her early 40s she told us she doesn’t know where she would be today if it wasn’t for the staff at Anchor House.”

— John Parker, 2020

July 16 — Chambersburg, PA - new to us!
July 17 — New Cumberland, PA - new to us!
July 18 — Strasburg, PA
July 19 — Strasburg, PA (a loop day) - includes a banquet
July 20 — Lansdale, PA - includes a picnic and a police escort for last 10 miles before riding into (yes, into) the Quaker Bridge Mall* in Lawrence, NJ for the closing celebration

Q: What keeps you coming back?

A: “So many memories! Some highlights: …entering the mall, hearing the fundraising totals, and feeling an “Olympic moment” in a way. I always find the ride to the mall to be a moving experience.”

— Sherry Schweighardt

Can't make it this year? Be reminded when sign-up for starts for 2025.

Be Reminded
(2025 Classic Ride — July 12-19, 2025)

If this is your first time participating, or if you are a veteran participant, you should know that your support is invaluable to the youth that Anchor House serves.

You are a part of a solution — a solution to help kids who are hurting and in need, a solution to help end homelessness for youth, a solution to stabilize families, and a solution to help our young people transition successfully into adulthood.

While you are riding, walking or running, know that you are doing it for these kids. You are letting them know that you care and that they matter. Together, we can all make a difference in their lives.

— Kim McNear, Executive Director, Anchor House

Anchor House provides youth and young adults who are experiencing abuse, neglect, homelessness, or are aging out of the child welfare system with comprehensive services that offer them and their families the support they need to succeed and thrive.

Anchor House Shelter
For ages 12-17. The shelter’s primary purpose is to meet the immediate needs of youth (as well as their families) who have runaway or are experiencing homelessness, abuse, or neglect in Trenton, New Jersey.

Anchorage Transitional Living Program
For ages 18-21. This program provides long-term transitional living services to young adults who are experiencing homelessness as well as aging out of the New Jersey child welfare system. This program operates a group home as well as a supported housing apartment program.

Anchor Line Apartment
For ages 18-21. This program provides subsidized housing, food, case management, and life skills education in order to give them the time and skills they need to successfully live on their own.

Connect to Home Apartments
For ages 18-21. This program provides Housing Choice Vouchers through the Department of Children and Families and the Department of Community Affairs.

Rapid Re-Housing
For ages 18-24. This program provides supportive services to youth who meet HUD eligibility requirement to live in their own apartment.