"Ride for Hope. Party With a Purpose"
by Chris Ferrario
For the past 18 years, Campers, RV’ers, Motel 6ers and Salt Lake commuters converge on cozy Cache Valley and the Northern Utah town of Logan in late June for a weekend of lots of smiles and lots of miles. Here we are, year 2004 and if you didn’t already know it, your bike is possibly the last method of escape from the incessant, daily pounding of congested commutes, complaining customers, Spam, your McFried food-du-jour, honey-do lists, really bad half-time shows, dirty laundry, and electronic banking. Let the inner child come out and play, ‘cause it all has to wait… when we ride our bikes.
The town opens her gates at the county fairgrounds for an influx of partygoers dressed as cyclists. Picture it if you possibly can, over 800 fellow roadies, of all shapes and sizes, rolling under a banner-streaked sky with cowbells and whistles. Over 800 cyclists rolling out together for 150 miles…in one humongous eclectic group of Lycra, spandex and cotton. For details… log on to www.fightmsutah.org
Don’t let the numbers scare you. These 150 miles can be sliced over two days at 75 a pop, or you can try the low carb version and do just 40 miles a day! Some couples take a turn each day while the other watches the kids. An extra strong set of lungs can pull the kids around the 100-mile loop option. So, blow the dust off that ol’ Huffy and get to your local bike shop for a tune-up and a training ride. Remember, it’s as easy as riding a bike.
Still intimidated? Don’t be. Everyone gets a medal. Yes, everyone. Everyone rides and everyone finishes whatever their chosen distance. Fabulous SAG support assures you of that. Every type of rider is represented, even the hard core racing roadies sideline their intense training to join this bash…however, intense competitions are to be expected like the highly coveted Best Jersey Award and the Largest First Time Team. Need-to-party-cyclists will benefit most from the stiff competition of “Best Water Stop”. Only the toughest, most creative volunteers will duke it out for Top Dog honors. It’s not uncommon for these oases of fanfare and fun to spend hours creatively planning and organizing new ways to have water to fuel your body, but also have tables that are bursting with Power Bars, Twizzler’s and even Mardi Gras beads. Back-breaking hours are spent replenishing water for blow up kiddy pools, refilling your bottles with Gatorade, winding up blenders, blasting music, and giving you and your bike a “wash” at a make-shift car wash. These volunteer angels swoop down to service your every need…including a fold out lawn chair, if necessary.
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Finally, let’s talk about the ride. Rolling your wheels around this northern neck of Utah and southern tip of Idaho is a cyclist’s treat. The pastoral views and gently rolling country backroads will permit your mind to wander for miles. Anyone used to riding in congested, hostile city traffic and poorly shouldered streets will welcome this tour. The Golden Rule must be on the DMV exam, because the locals actually share the road with riders instead of trying to eliminate them. Really! Each day of the event, the scenic route presents a different flavor. The first day, you’ll take a canyon ride up toward Hardware Ranch to work up a real appetite. The overly abundant grub is always a treat. The second day, you’ll venture into Idaho and an opportunity to fund your retirement - win the big bucks with a commemorative lottery ticket or two.
There are always going to be new reasons to blow a weekend and a $200 minimum worth of fundraising dollars for other tours. Be assured, this old timer spends over half her dollar raised on local programs and over an additional 30 percent on National Programs and Research for Multiple Sclerosis. This disabling disease attacks the central nervous system of over 400,000 American citizens annually. For as many as 200 people per week, this diagnosis can be handed down to young men and women only in their 20’s, 30’s & 40’s. Strike home? This is truly a cause to fight a debilitating disease!
Your stay in Logan can be downright cheap from car camping to full RV hook-ups at the fairgrounds and plenty of hotel hot spots to take your well-deserved rest. The Utah MS Chapter, Harmon’s and many other sponsors work hard to keep costs down, our tummies full and the warm fuzzies flying. Riders will encounter enthusiastic hosts, fabulous breakfasts served each day, and dinner with entertainment Saturday night. Oh yes, my little crumb crunchers (too big for trailers), highly recommend the following activities; extra cheese and pepperoni pizza at Gia’s, skateboarding at the local skate park and the “cool” water slides across the street from the fairgrounds. See you there.