The Fourth Annual Ride for Skip
September 2008

Sometimes inspiration comes when you least expect it. For Mark Hornbaker, it happened one morning in 2004 on the half-hour drive from his Poolesville home to Rydex headquarters in Rockville, MD. Mark had been thinking about Rydex Investments’ late founder, Skip Viragh, a lanky Texan who was both a longtime friend of the Hornbaker family and a mentor who died of pancreatic cancer on December 11, 2003.

Mark wanted to help further Skip’s legacy but wasn’t sure how. Sure, he could make a personal donation to the Skip Viragh Charities, but that wasn’t enough for him.
"How can I turn my donation into more?," Mark wondered. The dilemma kept rolling through his mind. Skip would want me to challenge myself, he thought. And with that, he came up with a plan: a one-day, 100-mile bike ride on the C&O Canal Towpath to benefit the Skip Viragh Charities.

An avid biker, Mark’s personal best until that point was 55 miles in one day. He wasn’t sure if he was up for the challenge, but he wanted to push himself. He’d have to train—but first, he’d have to get the word out.

In short order, Mark put his plan into motion. He sent a flyer to family members asking them to pledge money for every mile he rode. His family responded generously. Then they forwarded the flyer to some of Skip’s business associates, who were equally enthusiastic. Eventually, the flyer made its way to some Rydex associates and to members of the Viragh family.

“I would have been happy to raise $1,000,” Mark said. If $1,000 would have made him happy, think of how he felt with what he's raised that first year—a total of $20,000.

Since that first bike ride in 2004, Mark has inspired a number of friends and Rydex associates to become part of the Ride for Skip.  Since that first 100 miles, the Ride for Skip has brought in over $85,000 in donations and granted wishes to a number of Make-a-Wish children throughout the U.S.