How it started and why we are continuing the ride.

My mother has had MS since I was born and her condition has progressively gotten worse over the years. Back in the 80’s when she was diagnosed, very little was known about MS and there were few promising treatments. I’ve participated in walks and bike rides throughout my life but wasn’t satisfied that only 30% of the funds went to research. I decided to contact a research institute myself and send the money directly to doctors working towards a cure. Partners MS Center looked promising and when I spoke with them they were helpful and encouraging. I took an HTML class, made the website, and convinced three friends to ride with me. A few months later we were on bikes leaving Seattle.

We felt that asking for money was not enough so we called local radio stations and offered volunteer services to listeners in the area. Only a few people actually contacted us for help, but the offer was greatly appreciated and we received many nice emails. Having a lot of stuff on your bike is a conversation starter in itself and it gave us the chance to talk about why we were riding. It was quickly apparent that almost everyone we met had some connection to MS. The personal connections we made on the trip were in some ways more satisfying than the bike ride itself. For this reason it was more than just a cross-country bike ride and this is why we have to try again.

I had not planned on riding across the country again but as normal life took hold and sleeping in a bed was no longer luxurious I began to change my mind. Some friends contacted me and expressed interest in riding across the country for Bike the US for MS, so a few days later we bought the maps and started planning. I posted the information on our website and people around the country began contacting us. When you google “Bike the US” our website is #1 on the search results. People pay a lot of money to go on supported bike tours – why not do it for a good cause?

There is no cure for MS and there seems to be no shortage of people who want to bike across the country. If we can contribute towards a cure in a fun and inspiring way i think we should keep trying. 

Don

I flipped over the handlebars of my bike when I was 8 and didn’t get back on until 14 years later when Don and Kristen convinced me to give bikes another chance. Soon afterward I bought my mountain bike. When Don decided to Bike the US for MS again in 2009, that pair convinced me to get a touring bike and give biking across the country a first chance. I’ve been saving up ever since. I’m currently an AmeriCorps volunteer making about $11,000 this year, so when I say I’m saving money to be a part of this bike ride, you have an idea of how much I care about Bike the US for MS.

I work for a non-profit food distribution group called SHARE, and I plan to continue in the vein of non-profits when my year with AmeriCorps is over next fall, so being a part of Bike the US for MS fits into my long term goals perfectly. To be honest, I’ve never done anything like this ride before. Previously I’ve only run a few half marathons, but I’m up for the challenge.

Amanda, Nina and Kristen

I’ve known Don and his family for three years now, and Nina is my main inspiration for this ride. She is a wonderful person, and it’s the least I can do to bike across the country on her behalf. Of course this trip is much bigger than just Nina. I am so excited to meet and help other individuals with MS while simultaneously raising public awareness and money for MS research. This will be a powerful experience: biking further than I’ve ever gone, seeing amazing things, and meeting incredible people. I will grow as a person to say the least. I’m so proud to be a part of this, surrounded by good friends and knowing that I will make many more along the way.

Watch out America! Here comes the Shark☺

Amanda “the shark” Clark

Here we go again...

So it's official- Bike the US for MS lives on! I've been living in a van working for immigrant wages so it can only get better from here. Don and his associates in Blacksburg are hard at work planning the 2009 edition- applying what we learned from the first trip and improving where we could do better, this time with a full year's head start. The basics of the organization are in place but we want to extend our reach and get the attention of more people affected by MS and more people who can help us contribute to research efforts. This is where you can help- and yes I'm talking to you blog-addicts who still check the website daily for more worthless additions much to your disappointment- start talking it up and don't hesitate to send us suggestions for how we can make this trip astronomically successful. Also, please feel free to contact your old favorite, Karl, at karl@biketheusforms.org and encourage him to participate. If these efforts are unsuccessful I shall distribute his phone number in the next entry, then credit card numbers, then darkest secrets and confessions, and so forth, respectively. Anyways, we've got quite a team assembled from all walks of life and the gender barrier has been shattered. Hopefully Vidshadow will sign on and continue to air our adventures to the masses. The excitement is thick, the possibilities are endless, and the girlfriend of a certain member of the team has a whole year to convince him to remove the patch of back hair just above his bike shorts! Welcome back!

Mason

Calling all bikers!

I have followed the Bike the US for MS team by reading blogs, watching webisodes, and talking with the bikers from the minute they pushed their bikes out of the Pacific Ocean. Needless to say, I am very proud of their accomplishment. The total amount raised is now up to $19,174.81!! That’s $19,174.81 that Partners MS Center can use to continue the search for a cure for MS! But even more than the money raised, I feel so proud of the team when I see emails and letters received from people (often total strangers, spread throughout the country) expressing their gratitude for what they have done.

The Bike the US for MS crew is now planning a second ride during the summer of 2009. This ride will differ from the first in that it is going to begin earlier in the summer and follow a different route. Hopefully more people will come along for the 2009 ride, and most importantly, more girls will come along ☺! This ride is a wonderful way to raise money and awareness for MS, see the country, get in better shape, and have an unforgettable summer. In addition, there will be experienced leadership from Bike the US for MS veterans. This time around I am going to follow Bike the US for MS in a different way: on my bike.

-Kristen Scheller

Bike the US for MS - Summer 2009

Join us for the ride of a lifetime in 2009! If you have ever dreamed of riding across the country on a bicycle this is the perfect opportunity.


Bike the US for MS is a grassroots effort to raise awareness and funds to help people with MS. Along the way we will organize volunteer stops which may include helping out around the house or stopping by adult care facilities to relax and enjoy some good conversation. I can't tell you how rewarding this is - people are genuinely thankful for our efforts.

Joining Bike the US for MS is a great idea because we offer experience and leadership at no cost to you (except personal expenses of course). Unlike many other guided tours, you can help play a role in planning and daily decision making. Also, the reward of helping people with MS makes it much more than just a cross country bike ride.


Our visit with researchers and patients at Partners MS Center made it abundantly clear that we need to get back on our bikes and continue where we left off.

For more information please email us - info@biketheusforms.org.

Sincerely,

Donald Fraser
BiketheUSforMS.org