Quarterly Report from Mason

A peaceful ride through the beautiful Appalachian mountains interrupted by a distant bark. Heart rate elevated. Increase speed and intensive survey of the yards ahead. See nothing and resume peaceful ridARhgh ARKARKARK he comes out of nowhere through a hole in the fence and smells blood. He is hungry and he hates people in bike shorts. Adrenaline overwhelms us both and the race is on- mine for survival and his for dinner. Alas! He is tiring. I am surging ahead and congratulate myself on winning this battle of will when HOOONK I nearly lose control of the bike and my bladder as I check my helmet mirror to find a fully loaded coal truck six inches from my tail. He also hates people in bike shorts and chances are he is hungry as well. A quick evaluation of the scenario also reveals a fully loaded coal truck coming in the opposite lane and a rocky embankment off the shoulderless road beside me. I dodge flying chunks of coal as I try to clear my eyes of fine coal dust as the trucks inch closerBZZZZZZZZ the alarm goes off on my cell phone and I am safe and comfy in my tent and Don is cooking bacon. I am relieved to awake in the gentle foothills of Kentucky with the worst of obstacles behind me in the mountains. The group is groggy but in good spirits as they trickle into the breakfast tent to see what treats await their hungry bellies. One thing has become clear to all: gorging on high calorie foods as much as possible is priority numero uno. Two weeks into the trip and we have settled into a good routine of biking, eating, sleeping, and remarkably frequent opportunities to practice hygiene.

As a native Virginian I didn’t expect to be surprised by the ride through my home state, but it turns out the interstates I’ve traveled since I was a kid don’t do it justice. The back roads and small towns were friendly, scenic and loaded with interesting history. Thanks to friends and family for the help and hospitality we received across the state- we are officially spoiled rotten. Also thanks to Yusef at Bike Barn for going well above and beyond in getting everybody sorted with their bikes late into the evening in Blacksburg. Although mostly similar in physical geography, a dramatic change in the route occurs at the Kentucky state line. The coal industry has left the place very impoverished and isolated, but at least they cut off the tops of entire mountains to create spectacular views of other mountains. All this aside and with a few creepy exceptions, the people were very nice and I hope their economic situation improves. *Note to cyclists- avoid Hindman, KY at all costs*. We are now in the Midwest with rolling hills and lots of corn and hay fields which makes for good riding- everybody is going really well and picking up the pace everyday. It’s been stormy and we all smell like wet dogs (sorry ladies its true) but churches, parks and fire stations have been good to us and we definitely can’t complain about accommodation. The truck and trailer are incredibly convenient and the battery/inverter system is working hard to keep our nifty electronics charged and sending out pictures and Tweets so people can follow the trip online. Which reminds me, long-winded blogs like this one are now dinosaurs and Dustin has already sent 3 messages on Twitter since I started typing, so I recommend checking out his page to get the latest.

Eastern Kentucky

Coal trucks, ferocious dogs and torrential downpours have made the first half of this state treacherous.  We are now west of the Appalachians and into the rolling hills of Kentucky.  Yesterday the team pounded 94 miles from Berea to Bardstown, Kentucky.  We were supposed to camp at the Lincoln Homestead State Park but they no longer allow camping.  I'm pretty sure Abe would have been in full support of letting us camp at his homestead.  

It was great talking to the Flynn family in Berea.  It has been one year since Matt Flynn was diagnosed with MS & it has been a shock to the family.  We put their picture up in the trailer and reminds us everyday why we are riding.  When the riding gets tough we'll think about the Flynn's and keep the legs moving - they are inspiration for us all.  

We've been riding with 3 other guys headed West - Joe and Jordy from Carbondale, Illinois and Chase from Texas.  Great guys - they are carrying all their gear and cover the same ground that we do - hardcore!   Look forward to pedaling 3,000 more miles with these guys.  

Follow us on twitter for real time updates and pictures: 

Team tweets

Dustin Bond 

Leanna Pugliese

Daniella Cortese

Kevin Bing

Amanda Clark

Yorktown to Blacksburg

Off to a good start in 2009.  Everyone made it to Blacksburg on schedule and in good spirits.  Some tough climbs, tailwinds and nice folks along the way so far.  Highlights include the Blue Ridge Parkway, triple cheeseburger basket at Gertie's general store and fundraising party at Awful Arthurs in Blacksburg.  Thanks to everyone in Blacksburg that came out to support Bike the US for MS!

Had a nice welcoming in Charlottesville at the Blue Ridge Chapter MS society.  Thanks Paul, Darren & Shannon for helping us set up and keep our bikes in the office!

The Blue Ridge Parkway was fogged in as we passed through.  Could barely see each other, but luckily we came prepared with some blinky lights and a reflective safety triangle, courtesy of Adventure Cycling Association.  Mason was driving and said those triangles were visible long before the lights - thanks ACA!

After crossing the Parkway we rode through Lexington, home of the Virginia Military Institute and Washington and Lee University.  A very nice town - great shops and food.  Rain was coming down pretty hard and everyone was soaked.  Still having a good time though - especially Dustin in his yellow poncho.  

On the road again headed towards Rural Retreat, VA.  If we are passing through your area shoot us an email - info@biketheusforms.org - we'd like to lend a hand to anyone that could use it & visit with folks along the way.   Off to another great day of riding here in Virginia!

Ramp Construction - April 2009

We had a great time building the ramp for Maryann, Arnie and Montana.  Many thanks to Grayson Place Building for providing materials.  Looking forward to completing more projects like this one.   Contact us to get involved!  

Ramp Building in Salem, VA

Thanks to the generosity of Grayson Place Building, Inc, our cyclists will be building a handicapped accessible ramp on June 6th, 2009 as we travel through Salem, VA.

Curing MS is not going to be easy - we need your help! We are always looking for service projects, fundraising ideas and cyclists to join. Please visit our website or send us an email to initiate bike the US for MS in your area. The more cyclists we have, the more projects we can fund and complete. Join this effort!

Thanks to the Blue Ridge Chapter of the MS Society for connecting us with volunteer opportunities in Virginia.

The 4000 mile journey begins in 84 days - http://www.biketheusforms.org

Bike the US for MS News Update..........

March 1st, 2009

Three months until we depart Yorktown for the rocky cliffs of the Oregon coast (hopefully not off the rocky cliffs of the Oregon coast). Might be a good time to get in shape. Also looking forward to the Wild West for MS event in Palm Beach, FL on March 21. Thanks to MS Cure Fund for making arrangements for us to head down to Florida to help out with the event and represent our group. Here's a link to the website: Wild West for MS.

Spring can't come soon enough for those of us in colder climates and we can't wait to hit the road in June. We are going to scout the route through Virginia on Monday to see what we're up against and to meet with some allies in the battle against MS. Working on getting custom jerseys for those crucial first impressions- no guarantees but I think most of us are going to look pretty sharp. We are also developing an impressive portfolio of services and activities that we can provide in localities along our route, including free bike tune-ups.

Bike Barn rules!

They grow up fast...

It seems like just yesterday we gave birth to Bike the US for MS- we were young and our hopes and dreams for our new creation were boundless. At times it was tough, as rearing any infant isn't complete without blood, sweat, and tears, not to mention the all-nighters and the occasional temper tantrum (no diapers thank goodness). But today we proudly stand on the cusp of a triumphant graduation into the toddler years, and although we occasionaly dust off the home videos for a trip down memory lane, from here on out its full speed ahead at a breakneck 18 mph.

The season for riding is upon us and we have less than four months to prepare our bodies and souls for the big one. Some unseasonably warm weather in Virginia promted the first few training rides of the year as some of the new members had the chance to take their new bikes for a spin. We encourage all members to ride as much as they can- if only a few miles a day to work, class, or the grocery store- to get their cycling muscles acclimated to daily use.

We have also been working on some exciting partnerships that could expand the scope of the organization and help us build a great foundation for the future. Look out MS- we are coming for you and we mean business! Stay tuned to find out exactly how we plan to make this happen...

We hope everybody in the MS community is doing well and looking forward to helping us meet our goals in 2009.

-Mason

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