2022 WRCC Ride Scholarship Presented in Memory of M. Neal Eckard

The 2022 WRCC Ride Scholarship was the first year we received a generous title sponsor donation, and it is with pride we presented last year’s scholarship in the memory of M. Neal Eckard. This sponsorship allowed us to award a second scholarship, providing two full packages to individuals who exhibited financial need and a desire to explore the Greater Lafayette area on two wheels. 

Through this donation, Connie Deerman-Eckard wished to support those under-represented individuals often missing from the cycling scene and to make a positive impact within her community. Connie first heard of the scholarship through her brother-in-law, J. Eric Eckard. A member of the WRCC, he found cycling when life threw him a few curveballs, and the scholarship was a way to give back to the community that helped support him in his journey. 

While some of us have ridden with Eric, not everyone within the WRCC has had the opportunity to share miles with him. A writer by profession, members of the scholarship committee met him the summer of 2021 when he offered to interview our recipients and write the J&C article published this past May. Since the beginning, he has been an advocate for the scholarship and our mission, and we wanted to share how Eric became involved with WRCC and the sport of cycling. Keep reading to learn more about his epic adventure through Michigan to Indiana!

What was your first WRCC ride?

It was in 2018. I remember it fairly well. I found the group online, and the meeting place was Cumberland Park. I got there early, and Brian Slick was the first person I met. He made me feel so welcome. Then I met his wife, Teri. Before they moved, I rode a lot with them. It was just a great first experience, primarily because I didn’t know many people here, and I was a new cyclist at the time. 

What did you like about it or find surprising?

The best part about my first ride was that no one made me feel uncomfortable. It didn’t matter how well or how badly I rode. They sincerely were just glad that I was there, as well as everyone else.

Do you have a favorite ride leader or weekly ride in the WRCC?

Well, I mostly ride with Gary Brouillard when I’m in town. He’s another member who makes all riders feel accepted. Plus, his pace is really steady, so there’s a lot of consistency. I like that. Allen Hackney also offers fun rides. 

The roads are going to become difficult to ride in ice, wind, rain, and snow soon. Any chance we could get you to take up gravel riding this winter and join us in our wintery revels? 

I just can’t see myself doing any gravel riding. I’m an average bike-handler at best. And I don’t feel comfortable on gravel. Give me pavement anytime – even if there are cars on the road. Traffic, I can handle. Gravel. Not so much. 

What keeps you coming back even though your home is in North Carolina? 

My sister-in-law still lives here, so I do come back to visit her often. But honestly, the people in the WRCC are reason enough to visit. I really can’t stress enough how nice everyone is, almost like a second family.

What was your motivation for riding your bike from Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan to West Lafayette, Indiana, over 700 miles one-way? 

I wanted to do something big to raise money for cancer research in my brother’s memory. When he was diagnosed with cancer in 2018, I basically moved up here to be with him during his last few months. I wanted to do something big in his name after he died. I had only been riding a couple of years when I decided to do Ride for Neal, so I figured it was 50-50 whether I would even be able to finish. Knowing that, I thought people might be interested in seeing whether I would make it to West Lafayette. I did. I raised $10,000 for the V Foundation. And I’m still proud of that.

How did you decide to break up your ride? How much time did you spend planning on the route, fueling, and logistics? 

I did a lot of training rides beforehand, so I felt pretty confident about the distance. Then I got some cycle maps, and I was planning to follow an already established route. But after Day 2, I threw all of that out of the window. I basically got up in the morning and decided where we were going to stay that night. My daughter and grandson drove the SAG vehicle ahead and set up camp or checked into the hotel. I basically followed Google maps throughout the day, and we made it up as we went along. That part was unnerving in the beginning. But after Day 5, I liked the spontaneity.

What was your favorite part(s) of that ride? Any event or view that was particularly inspiring or breath-taking?

Ha. Pulling into Cumberland Park. The end. No, there were plenty of awesome sites along the way. I think the coolest thing I did was take the ferry across to Mackinac Island. I rode around the island while waiting for the ferry that would take me to the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. Then, it was due south all the way.

When you finished your ride, what was your first thought? How did it feel when the ride came to an end? 

Honestly, I was glad it was over. That was my very first thought pulling into the park. I also felt a huge sense of accomplishment. It was one of the most difficult things I’ve done physically. I also was ready to celebrate with a bottle of champagne I brought back from France when I followed the Tour around earlier that summer. 

What motivates you to ride your bike these days?

I’ve really fallen in love with riding. I used to bounce between running and riding, but running was my passion. Then I got hit by a car two years ago, and I was banged up enough that I can’t really run long distances anymore. So no more marathons. But I can do more long distance rides. And I hope to soon.

What goals do you have for the upcoming year? Any events you plan to attend or do you have a cycle-cation coming up?

I keep threatening to do a century ride. That’s definitely on my to-do list. I also had signed up for the Mountains to Coast ride in North Carolina, but work kept me from that ride. So I’ve postponed that until next year. In the meantime, just ride. This year, I’m on pace to have my best year on the bike, mileage-wise. I know some in the group have plenty more, but I’ve only broken 2,000 miles twice, including this year. By the end of December, I hope to break my 2,133-mile record.

Why sponsor the WRCC Ride Scholarship? 

I think there are a few reasons. First, it’s a good thing to do. We’re fortunate enough to be in a position to help financially so it’s good to give back to the community. Plus, the WRCC has been so good to me personally that I wanted to thank them. Just having the support of the group in the beginning when my brother was battling cancer made a huge difference during that difficult time. We also wanted to do something to keep his memory alive. So to have his name on the scholarship means something to our family.

Is there a message you want to impart to the cycling community or the scholarship recipients?

It’s great that the WRCC has this scholarship because it allows people to chase their passion. The scholarship allows people who love cycling the chance to do what they love. And when you find something that makes you happy, you should be able to do it. The scholarship breaks down financial obstacles to allow the recipients to chase their happiness. That’s important because life is short, and you never know when it’s going to be over.

The 2022 WRCC Ride Scholarship would not be possible without the support of our sponsors, and we are beyond grateful for the generous support of the Eckard family. It was our honor that we presented the 2022 scholarship in memory of their husband and brother, M. Neal Eckard. 

For more information on the 2023 scholarship please visit: https://wrcc-in.org/page/wrcc-ride-scholarship