MS Bike Tour de Farms turns into a great adventure
What do you get when you mix 1,888 charitable cyclists, 120 miles of rural roads, 60-plus temperatures and eight hours of rain?
Well, on the weekend of June 23-24, the result was nothing short of a grand adventure. The MS Bike Tour de Farms is an annual two-day bicycling event that benefits the Greater Illinois Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
Participants solicit donations for the MS Society and choose to ride 36-, 78- or 103-mile routes each day. Eight fully stocked rest stops were spaced along the routes and the motorcycle support crew did a fantastic job of helping to direct traffic and keep cyclists out of trouble.
Not everyone who signed up to ride actually ventured out into Saturday's inclement weather, but those who did felt especially proud. One rider in particular, my friend Tim Padgett, deserves special recognition for finishing the entire rain-soaked 78-mile route. Particularly since his longest previous bike ride had been 25 miles -- on the Sunday before!
Tim and I started out riding with my two daughters, the eldest on her own bike and the youngest on the back of my tandem. Thirty miles into the day, the girls were soaked to the bone and shivering uncontrollably.
An opportune offer to transport them to the finish from a friend was too good to pass up.
After the girls were safely bundled away in a heated van, Tim and I set off to prove ourselves stronger than the elements. Personally, I think the weather was easier to handle than the constant remarks from other riders about me having lost my back seat rider.
Upon arrival in DeKalb, the rain had stopped and the Saturday overnight festivities -- live music, catered food and even a public wedding -- were wonderful. The colorful Team Tent Village -- 24-four tents decorated by rider teams for their own relaxation -- made everything more enjoyable.
On Sunday, the weather was much more cooperative and, although it was quite a challenge for them, my daughters completed the whole 78 miles to the finish line.
To date, our small team of riders, The Chainring Gang, has raised more than $10,000 for the National MS Society and the entire event has raised almost $1.5 million!
There are still two months of fundraising remaining so feel free to visit www.msillinois.org for more information.
Invitational next week: Next Sunday, July 29, the 27th edition of the Elmhurst Bicycle Club's Metro Metric Invitational will be held at Hampshire High School, 560 State St. in Hampshire. Distances of 30, 50, 62, and 100 miles are available. Proceeds from the ride will be used to help maintain Illinois bike paths, and to support advocacy and preservation organizations. For details, call (630) 415-BIKE or visit the Web site at www.elmhurstbicycling.org.