Best Buy made 1999's "Ride The Rio, El Septemo", 2000's  "Ride The Rio, El Octavo", 2001's "Ride The Rio, El Noveno", and 2002's "Ride The Rio, El Decimo" extra special. Before I tell you what they did, let me first tell, let me tell you why they got involved. Then, let me tell you what they did. And before I do any of that, let me give you some history.



The Big Bend area is pretty special - if you've visited there, or visited the pages of this website, then you already know that. And it's pretty secluded as well. Not only is Big Bend National Park the least visited National Park in the country, but the Big Bend area is one of the least populated areas of the country, too. And those folks are hard working! They're not sitting on fat oil deposits. There are no huge rolling horse farms. There's not a beautiful coastline to draw mega-tourism. The skiing crowd doesn't go there. Agriculture (heavily irrigated agriculture) is the main source of income in the Big Bend. Tourism plays into the economy, but the dollars it generates are not large (or, at least, not large enough). What you end up with is a large area with few tax dollars and with little money coming in from the outside.



Any area that draws on a meager population base for a tax-supported school system needs help. Over the years, things have gradually been turning up for the residents of Big Bend (BBNP, Study Butte, Terlingua, Lajitas, and the surrounding areas). In fact, one might even call things "approaching OK" - maybe. Except for the high school kids. Those kids, until 1997, "enjoyed" the longest bus ride in the country (more than 90 miles one way) because the Big Bend area did not have a high school (and because they were within the Alpine, TX, tax region - but that's a whole different story!). Then, through major private donations and some tax assistance, a high school was built! The new Big Bend High School - right there in Study Butte! It is exactly what the area has needed for years and years, and it was finally there! Everybody was happy. Except there weren't a lot of left-over funds for school supplies. Oh, the school was functional of course, but they did not have everything they really needed.



And then came "Ride The Rio". For years we had all been enjoying the beauty of the Big Bend area. And for years we had been riding through depressed economies, on big expensive motorcycles. No, we didn't feel guilty, but I did feel there could be something we could, or should do. But what?  Randy Martin pointed "Ride The Rio" in the right direction. In 1996, Randy and his friends from the Dallas/Ft. Worth area stuffed their saddle bags with fresh fruit and sandals (actually, in addition to the saddlebags, I think a truck was involved!) for the Mexican kids of Boquillas, Mexico, a small village on the other side of the Rio Grande from BBNP. That was it! The kids! Randy's group had targeted the Mexican kids, and the staff of RTR decided that was the way we wanted to go - kids! But which kids? And what, exactly, to do? It took another year of thought. In the meantime, Randy again organized efforts for the Boquillas kids for the next "Ride The Rio". But at least "Ride The Rio" now had a focus, and that focus was the kids. They're the most precious resource, you know.



I contacted friends on the Terlingua/Study Butte/Lajitas Chamber of Commerce. They gave me names of store owners, and the new high school superintendent and principle. These folks would know what to do, and what was needed. After much discussion, and many ideas, the plan was finalized and I approached Best Buy with my idea. The idea was that Best Buy - if they agreed - would help us put a new computer in the new high school - maybe even two computers! The arrangement went like this: Best Buy would match every dollar that participants of "Ride The Rio" donated - with no limit! It was a tremendous opportunity for us to do some tremendous good for the area! Why Best Buy? I like Best Buy - it was that simple. I like to shop at Best Buy, I like their prices, selection and convenience. Why not Best Buy?

 

And then it was a success!  The 132 riders of RTR10 contributed over $600.00! The 134 riders of 2001's RTR9 contributed almost $1,800.00! 2000's RTR8 had 112 riders contribute almost $1,000.00! The 106 RTR riders of 1999's RTR7 donated an average of just under $10.00 each! And Best Buy matched every dollar of money contributed by RTR! Add it up - that's almost $8,000.00 in combined funds with which to purchase computer equipment at Best Buy! In 1999, RTR and Best Buy contributed two complete and state-of-the-art computer systems, and then did it again in 2000. More stuff followed in 2001 - and not just computers, but extra monitors, printers, switches, and more. So now, thanks to Best Buy and "Ride The Rio", several new computer systems, laser printers, hubs, and scanners are presently in use at the high school, and more will soon be on their way! Deployed to the Computer Sciences class, these new computers are helping students learn everything from basic to complex computer languages, computer construction and maintenance, web design, and the list goes on!



The Computer Project has been a complete success! It is a win-win-win situation for everybody. But most importantly, for the kids of the Big Bend High School, it was a tremendous "win". Click on the "Big Bend High School" button below for more! Click on any of the Best Buy icons on this page to take you to Best Buy's website!

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