Cross-Country Journey Leads up to New Album Release
August 21, 2014, Nashville, TN…Patrick Simmons, founding member of The Doobie Brothers and longtime motorcycle enthusiast, will ride coast to coast, with his wife, Cris Sommer Simmons in the Motorcycle Cannonball Endurance Run 2014 in September. The duo will journey more than 4,100 miles from Daytona, FL to Takoma, WA on their 1934 and 1929 Harley-Davidsons with stops in GA, TN, MO, KS, CO, UT, N V, ID, and WA. Cris, who is a well-known author and member of the National Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Anamosa Iowa and the American Motorcycle Heritage Foundation Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Westerville, Ohio, and the Sturgis Motorcycle Hall of Fame, will be raising money on the ride for Stand Up To Cancer, in honor of their son, Pat Jr., who battled testicular cancer last year and now is cancer free.
The Cannonball Run began in 2010 as a ride to showcase the restoration and power of antique motorcycles built before 1915. It has since evolved into a cross-country endurance ride held every other year with over 100 participants, which now includes bikes built before 1936.
In preparation for the ride Patrick notes, “Cris and I are excited, and so ready to head out on the 2014 Motorcycle Cannonball Endurance Run. We have been working on our bikes for over a year now.” Cris previously participated in the 2010 Cannonball Run, where she was the only American female out of 45 riders. She completed the over 2,800 miles and finished in 20th place.
This year Patrick Simmons will be riding a 1929 Harley-Davidson JD, nick-named “Norge” because of its similar blue color to Norge refrigerators once popular in the 1950s. As for Cris’ choice, she explains, “My bike “Buddy” is a 1934 Harley-Davidson, named after it’s previous owner, well-known Hollywood stunt man Bud Ekins. Pat bought the bike from Bud many years ago and I stole it from Pat in 1993, vowing to ride it ‘someday’.”
Patrick Simmons has spent the majority of the summer on tour with The Doobie Brothers and preparing for their upcoming release Southbound. The album celebrates the band’s iconic hits re-recorded alongside some of country music’s biggest stars (including Blake Shelton, Zac Brown Band, Sara Evans, and Brad Paisley). After his participation in the Cannonball Endurance Run, Simmons will continue to tour with the band and plan for the upcoming release of Southbound November 4, on Arista Records Nashville.
A full schedule of the Run is listed below, to learn more visit: www.MotorcycleCannonball.com.
For additional information on The Doobie Brothers and upcoming release information: www.DoobieBros.com.
2014 Cannonball Stops
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