Grab your beach cruiser and hop on, it’s time for the Annual City to Shore M.S. Bike Ride, a 150-mile bike ride that aims to raise millions of dollars to multiple sclerosis. Since it’s 150 miles, maybe you shouldn’t bring that beach cruiser after all.
Team Evesham, a local cycling group, will have its 101 members take part in the annual ride, said President Sandy Student. The ride will take place over two days, beginning on Saturday, Sept. 24 with riders beginning at the Woodcrest PATCO station in Cherry Hill.
“We leave from the Woodcrest PATCO station and then ride to the Ocean City convention center, and then we ride back the next day. We spend about eight miles of the loop in Evesham Township,” Student said. “It’s 150 mile ride, but you can actually do a longer ride if you want. You can actually do a 175-mile ride. There are corporations that sponsor rest stops every 15 miles. It is the second largest multiple sclerosis ride in the country, with about 7,500 cyclists participating each year. The only other larger MS bike ride in the country is in Texas and they get about 10,000 riders.”
The ride is fully supported with catered rest stops, bike support and SAG transportation, according to official representatives of the race. Cyclists must raise $300 for the race and fill out an official MS City to Shore bike waiver form.
The Evesham cycling team will look to raise $75,000 this year, Student said. Last year the group raised more than $60,000.
“Multiple sclerosis strikes people suddenly for no known reason. You can be leading a healthy life and then the next day you can be afflicted by it. That’s the way MS is, there’s no known cure, it’s an orphan disease,” Student said. “It’s frequently misdiagnosed, so it’s not only raising money but raising awareness. It has all kinds of awful ramifications for people.”
If you can’t ride the full 150 miles, the ride has several alternative routes for riders of all skill sets. Bikers can ride as few as 25-miles in one day, according to one of the routes.
The event also offers transportation back to the Woodcrest station for all one day riders.
“We stress safety. We hire extra police officers to be on duty in the communities we ride through to ensure the safety of our team members,” Student said.
Volunteers are also needed to man rest stops, give rides to bikers who need a lift to the next rest stop, and for set up, Student said.
All cyclists on Team Evesham participating in the ride get a free jersey.
To donate to the team or the cause, please visit the ride website at www.bikepae.nationalmssociety.org or visit Team Evesham’s website at www.teamevesham.org.
