No, you haven’t had too much to drink. That is a pink Elvis on Route 66.
We encounter many stories about folks pulling all sorts of endurance stunts on Route 66 for charity. However, we couldn’t put this one in the “seen that already” pile — a pink jumpsuit-clad Elvis Presley impersonator riding his bicycle down the Mother Road to raise money for the American Cancer Society and other cancer charities.
According to a report by KOLR-TV in Springfield, Mo., Elvis’ real name is Joe Fors. He started his trek in Chicago on Election Day (Nov. 6), and made it to Springfield on Friday.
“Lost my stepmother to cancer last December and I thought I’d try to do a little bit of my part,” he says. “So I dreamed up this quirky idea of putting on a pink Elvis jumpsuit and takin’ Route 66 out to LA.” […]
Fors, who runs the website ElvisRides.com, says the response has been overwhelming.
“I get 13-year breast cancer survivors coming out in their pink t-shirts to take pictures with me. People stopping on the road to take pictures.”
Indeed, you can see dozens of photos that Fors and other people took on the Elvis Rides Facebook page, including this image from the Fanning 66 Outpost in Fanning, Mo.
Fors says he hopes to wrap up his bicycle trip in about a month, which would be before Christmas.
His website indicates that Fors was originally going to start his journey in New York City, but that leg was canceled “due to weather” — probably the havoc wreaked by Hurricane Sandy.
Funds donated to Fors will be given to the American Cancer Society, Feel Your Boobies Foundation, and Rush University Medical Center.
Fors also can be followed on Twitter.
Thanks for sharing the Outpost photo. We shared the post to the Cuba MO Murals & More page. You never know who will show up at the Rocker. Best of luck to the “Pink Elvis” on his fundraising.