What's the largest single event for bicycle touring each year? I'd say it would have to be the MS Bike Tour.
The fund-raiser for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society is actually more than one event; it comprises more than 100 rides in 48 states this year. Last year, the MS Society estimated about 100,000 cyclists pedaled in the rides.
While the two-day tour gives you the chance to ride about 150 miles and see parts of the state you may not have visited, the event itself is all about fund-raising. Last year, it brought in $46.7 million. The money goes to fund research for multiple sclerosis, a progressive and often disabling disease of the central nervous system.
Peter Herschend, riding in the Mid America chapter's event in Kansas, set the MS Bike Tour record in 2004 by single-handedly raising $104,608. Five teams in last year's Lone Star MS Bike Tour ride in Texas together raised $1.8 million.
Those are the over-achievers. On average, participants raise about $450 each.
An MS Bike Tour ride calendar shows that most of the rides are scheduled in September, giving participants all summer to raise pledges and get their legs in shape. One of the earliest in the nation is the Lone Star ride from Houston to Austin, which went off in April with 13,000 riders.
The Houston Chronicle reported the sheer number of cyclists keeps the 3,000 volunteers busy serving food, preparing overnight spots and rest stops, patrolling in the sag wagons, and staffing the medical tents along the route. If you missed out on this ride, don't worry, five more MS Bike Tours are scheduled in Texas this year.
If you want to participate this year, visit the MS website's MS Bike Tour By State List. You'll find all the states with rides, the dates, directions on seeking pledges, and how to contact the local chapters handling the events.
For information on MS, or other MS fund-raisers, visit the National Multiple Sclerosis website.
Recent Comments