ModSpace Tour du Rouge Raises Over $500,000 for Gulf Coast
Red Cross Chapters
ModSpace was proud to partner with the American Red Cross
as the title sponsor of the Inaugural Tour du Rouge
- a 512 mile bicycle journey along the Gulf Coast to raise
money and awareness for disaster preparedness.
Rescheduled from the original date of October 2008 due
to the devastation of Hurricane Ike, the Tour du Rouge event
began on Sunday, May 3 in Houston, TX and ended Friday,
May 8 in New Orleans, LA.
In addition to the 6 day ride, many Houston area cyclists
also participated in a one-day ride from Houston to Beaumont.
Each rider had a fundraising goal to help 7 Red Cross chapters
along the Gulf Coast. In addition to financial support,
ModSpace became an essential part of the tour logistics
by providing mobile
offices that served as "Rider Hospitality Suites"
with cyber cafes along the route. ModSpace branches in Beaumont,
TX & LaPlace, LA also hosted riders for much needed rest
stops along the route.
Tour du Rouge riders were joined by four courageous ModSpace
employees who made their own personal commitment to the
event by riding the entire 6-day route.
Relive the unforgettable journey
of the Inaugural Tour du Rouge…
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DAY ONE
- 82 Miles
Houston to Beaumont
DAY TWO
- 81 Miles
Beaumont to Creole
DAY THREE
- 95 Miles
Creole to Abbeville
DAY FOUR
- 77 Miles
Abbeville to Morgan City
DAY FIVE
- 98 Miles
Morgan City to Gonzales
DAY SIX
- 79 Miles
Gonzales to New Orleans
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 82
Miles from Houston to Beaumont
Day One of the Tour du Rouge started as a rainy Sunday
in Houston… but the bad weather didn't stop these determined
cyclists who were ready for the ride of a lifetime to help
raise money & awareness for the Red Cross!
 Day
One also included a "One Day Ride" for many from Houston
to Beaumont… but it was the first of six
days for those riding the entire route to New Orleans. It
was a full media blitz in front of the ModSpace mobile
office at the start - with local TV stations
covering the official send off in Houston. The Mayor of
Houston said a few words and then joined the tour by riding
the first leg of Day One.
Riders left the Humble Civic Center in Houston as one large
riding group beginning the inaugural Tour du Rouge. The
ModSpace team included riders from Houston, Pennsylvania
and even one team member who traveled all the way from Canada.
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 81
Miles from Beaumont to Creole
Riders got fueled up for Day Two by having breakfast hosted
at the ModSpace branch in Beaumont. Later in the day, riders
traveled along the coast and had lunch at the Apache Corporation
facility in Holly Beach… an area devastated by Hurricane
Rita in 2005 and then hit again by Ike last year.
 The
day ended on Rutherford Beach - a fairly remote location
in central Cameron Parish of Louisiana south of the communities
of Creole and Oak Grove. Riders had the full Red Cross Shelter
experience for their overnight stay, complete with tents
set up on the beach with sleeping cots - similar to what
disaster victims may experience with the Red Cross.
 With
the help of the local ModSpace Lafayette, LA branch, riders
were able to get a bit of comfort on the beach in a ModSpace
mobile
office serving as their mobile hospitality suite,
powered by a mobile generator. The remote location was a
difficult spot for delivery and set-up, but the ModSpace
Lafayette team met the challenge! The local ModSpace team
even stayed around for a while to offer some "Louisiana
Hospitality" to help riders forget about all the mosquitoes
on the beach!
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 95
Miles from Creole to Abbeville
After fighting off mosquitoes throughout the night, riders
started Day Three on Rutherford Beach with very little sleep.
Camaraderie kicked into high gear as they tried to prepare
themselves for one of the longest days yet (after one of
the longest nights yet).
 Riding
along the Gulf Coast was a first-hand reminder of the devastation
hurricanes such as Ike and Rita have done to these areas.
Houses  were
torn apart and never rebuilt. Riders also witnessed a high
school completely abandoned due to hurricane damage.
The hard, broken-up and damaged road of Route 14 was unforgiving
and took its toll as riders hopped over cracks and mashed
gears into the unrelenting Louisiana wind. New road obstacles
included snakes and gators as well as extra wide loads escorted
by local authorities to construction sites participating
in the rebuild efforts.
Approaching Abbeville - a beautiful town in the heart of
Cajun Country - many people in the local community were
welcoming, supportive and appreciative as the riders rolled
into town.
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Rider Blog Posts
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3
Days Down, 3 To Go...
- by marcboily |
Abbeville
Here We Come
- by mikestevens09 |
Media Coverage
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Abbeville
Meridional |
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 77
Miles from Abbeville to Morgan City
An authentic Cajun breakfast of cous-cous and biscuits
with gravy started off Day Four and then the riders enjoyed
a few songs by a local gospel singer from Abbeville before
they hit the road.
 The
first rest stop was a long one with a tour through the Tabasco
Factory on Avery Island were riders enjoyed sampling all
kinds of  Tabasco
sauces… and even Tabasco ice cream!
At the end of the day, riders were able to relax a bit
in a mobile
office rider hospitality suite that the local
ModSpace branch had set up and waiting for them.
Riders used the hospitality suites as "home base"
and took advantage of the cyber cafe to connect with family
& friends throughout the tour. That evening they ate
dinner at an art gallery, Louisiana style, with crawfish
etouffee, shrimp stew and entertainment from a local Zydeco
band.
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 98
Miles from Morgan City to Gonzales
One of the best riding days yet, many "die-hard" riders
couldn't resist tacking on a few extra miles to make Day
Five a 'triple digit" day.
 Riders
passed by beautiful southern plantations, including the
historic St. Joseph's Plantation in Vacherie where lunch
was served under century old  oak
trees. After lunch at the plantation they toured the magnificent
home.
At the end of the day in Gonzales, riders were once again
greeted by the local ModSpace team with a rider hospitality
suite -  complete
with cyber cafe and a massage station. The ModSpace Louisiana
district GM personally treated riders to homemade banana
fosters - a guilt-free indulgence after burning over 5,000
calories a day on the ride.
Massage therapists were also available to the riders at
the end of each day and in great demand after averaging
85 miles a day.
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 79
Miles from Gonzales to New Orleans
The last day of the Tour du Rouge came with excitement
(to finally give legs a rest) but also a bit of sadness
to see the journey come to an end. Riders and Red Cross
volunteers met so many people in each of the towns that
shared their stories and experiences post Katrina, Gustav
and Ike. The journey along the Gulf Coast was a constant
reminder of the importance of raising money and awareness
for disaster preparedness.
 After
an energetic lunch stop at the ModSpace LaPlace branch,
the final stretch into New Orleans started as Tour du Rouge
riders gathered at Audubon Park Zoo and lined up for the
final 7 miles into town. Riders were followed by Red Cross
vehicles and a ModSpace mobile
office as the "caboose". There was a lot of excitement
as friends, family, Red Cross volunteers, media and spectators
gathered to cheer the riders on as they arrived at the French
Quarter in Woldenberg Park.
 The
ModSpace rider team was joined by ModSpace's New Orleans
branch to help present a check to the Red Cross for $225,965
representing contributions from ModSpace, the generosity
of our customers and, most importantly, the fundraising
efforts of our ModSpace Tour du Rouge riders. 
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