On August 11th 2007, Rob Mackenzie (pictured with his daughter) and Robert Pedersen will start their 600+ mile bicycle trek from the Lansing Capitol to Washington, D.C. This will be an intense multi-day bike trek through numerous states ending in Washington, D.C. where they will be greeted by people attending the national rally in Washington, D.C. on August the 18th. To learn more about the trip and rally, click here.

Last year Mackenzie made this trip, protesting because he lives in the same town as his daughter but is allowed little time with her. To learn more about Mackenzie and his protest, see below.

Dad says he's biking to Washington for equal custody rights
Daily Telegram
6/15/06

Robb MacKenzie is a corrections officer in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. He is also the non-custodial father of a 12-year-old daughter, a situation he says has cost him money and valuable time with his daughter.

MacKenzie is riding his bicycle from Lansing to Washington, D.C., in support of a measure in the Michigan Legislature that would automatically designate joint custody in divorce, separation and non-marital cases unless specific factors dictate otherwise. He plans on being in Washington by June 22, after taking part in rallies this weekend in Pittsburgh and in Columbus, Ohio.

'I'm trying to make people aware of how unfair it is for non-custodial parents,' MacKenzie said during a stop in Adrian on Wednesday. 'We had joint custody until we went to court and that's when the money started. My lawyer told me to not even bother going back to court.'

State Rep. Leslie Mortimer, R-Horton, is sponsoring House Bill 5267, which says, 'The court shall order joint custody unless, by clear and convincing evidence that a parent is unfit, unwilling, or unable to care for the child.' The measure was sent to the committee on Family and Children Services in October...

"I live in the same town as my daughter and I can only see her at specific times,' McKenzie said. 'She and her friends knew the route I was taking through Lansing and they waved and rang bells of support for me. I almost cried."

This entry was posted on Tuesday, July 31st, 2007 at 12:05 am and is filed under Shared Parenting, Bills/Initiatives, Elections, Politics, Court Cases. You can trackback from your own site.