Video by Eric Keith

Each time Janis Consolver mounts her yellow Harley-Davidson Fat Boy, she goes for a ride with her son. After his fatal motorcycle accident in 2002, she decided she would learn to ride in his honor.

Mrs. Consolver, along with 390 others, took a 100-mile ride Saturday across Northwest Missouri for the seventh annual Ride for Ryan.

To date, money raised from the rides has sent 42 St. Joseph-area students into construction and skilled trade careers. Ryan Consolver was working for a construction company in Kansas City when he died in a motorcycle crash at age 24.

“A lot of mothers would have probably steered clear of motorcycles after that ... but not me,” Mrs. Consolver said.

Organizers feared light rains Saturday morning — “tears from heaven,” Mrs. Consolver called them — and the recession might thin rider numbers this year. But that didn’t happen. More bikers registered this year, most from within Missouri but some from as far away as Wisconsin and New Mexico.

Lonnie Sands Jr., 18, watched a balloon launch at the start of the ride to celebrate Ryan Consolver’s birthday. He would have turned 31. Mr. Sands will receive $1,000 in proceeds from the ride to further his education toward his dream to co-own his own machine shop.

“I plan on getting a bike,” he said. “I’ll probably be here next year to ride.”

After arriving back in St. Joseph, participants enjoyed live music, food, raffles, auctions and awards long into the night. “I love this,” Mrs. Consolver said. “It makes me feel close to Ryan.”

Ahmad Safi can be reached

at ahmadsafi@npgco.com.