Eric and Brenda Jones live in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Eric is a Texan at heart having been born in Bexar County, but raised in Oklahoma. Most folks don't understand that, but its a Texas Thing, Ya'll wouldn't understand.

Brenda works for Hughes Lumber Company at the Port of Catoosa just off Route 66. She is the Assistant to the Vice President and does accounting work.

Eric is a Service Manager at IKON Office Solutions. He has worked for IKON for 31 years and fears he will never be able to retire. He manages 20 Field technicians who work on Ricoh printers, scanners and copiers.

Eric and Brenda have been married for 39 years and have one daughter, one granddaughter and one grandson.

In their own words: Brenda and I got into motorcycle riding in 2002 when we bought our Red Goldwing Trike. The trike was Brenda's idea. She would never let me ride a two wheeler because I'm too clumsy and accident prone. Three years ago, I read about Rodger Fox and his Ride for the Relay. I have always had a fascination with Route 66 since I have lived within 10 miles of it most of my life. The opportunity to ride the whole length of the Route on my motorcycle was just too tempting. The idea that I could also raise money for a great cause was just icing on the cake. But, as fate would have it, I was out of vacation and didn't accrue more until October, just one month too late to ride with the Gang. So, I started making plans to ride in the 2007 Ride for the Relay.

When I finished up that ride and came home, Brenda said, "I'm glad you've got that out of your system." Well, that was before she met Rodger. Last February, Brenda and I traveled to Jacksonville, Illinois to attend the Ride for the Relay Auction. When Brenda met Rodger, she saw what all the rest of us do, and the next thing I knew she wanted to go on the ride.

Brenda wasn't able to be one of the All the Way Gang because she only had one week of vacation left. So, on Saturday morning, we arose early in Grants, New Mexico and I took her to the Albuquerque airport where she caught a flight back home. I rejoined the group in the Petrified Forrest and rode the rest of the way to Santa Monica.

You may have noticed that Rodger refers to me as "The Gas Man". I earned that moniker on my way back from Santa Monica this year. I was riding with Bobby "Road Kill" Taylor between Needles and Kingman. It was late at night and with no moon and only the stars it was dark as coal. We were pushing hard, hitting 70 to 75 mph and my Goldwing was sucking gasoline much faster than I realized. About two miles south of Kingman, my wing sputtered to a stop, completely out of gas. Thankfully, Bobby was with me and he rode two miles down the road and bought a gas can and two gallons of gas. That's how I became known as the Gas Man. I told Rodger that I always wanted a nickname, but that this wasn't what I had in mind.

This episode punctuates what the Ride for the Relay is all about. Making friends and helping people. I didn't know Bobby Taylor until September 2007 when I met him in Jacksonville, Illiniois along with the rest of the Gang. We became good friends. I have also made other good friends along the way riding with Rodger. Jerry Thelander, Jim "Preacher" Roberts, Ed and Ann Tokarz, Dick and Mary Schultz, Don and Karen Browning, Jim Nicols, Laura Rumello, Stan Hoff, Steve and Melinda Hamstra and of course Rodger and Sue Fox are just some of the good friends I have made through the Ride for the Relay. If you join us, I promise you will make new friends, see old sights and have a great time.

Will we ride again next year? Because Brenda only gets two weeks of vacation each year, she may not be able to ride with us. However, since I get five weeks a year, I am planning to be there along with my friends.

Let Eric and Brenda hear from you.  Ask questions or congratulate them for a job well done.  ejones0310@gmail.com