| Reid's Ride Bike-a-thons
The Reid's Ride Bike-a-thon is the core fund-raising event for the Reid R Sacco Memorial Foundation in its mission to support scientific and clinical research targeted at cancers striking adolescents and young adults.
Bike-a-Thon (Reid's Ride) 2008
The 4th Annual Reid's Ride 28-mile Bike-a-thon will be held this year on Sunday, July 20, 2008
This year we've made it much easier to register for the ride, and to ask for and collect support from family and friends. We've teamed up with FirstGiving, an organization that has helped thousands of charitable organizations with events like this. Click on the button below to take you to the Registration Home Page for this year's Reid's Ride.
Once registered, you can create an individualized fund-raising page to send to family and friends through e-mail or via FaceBook. They can make their contributions directly on the page and the page will keep track of your support. You can also create a team, or join an existing one. Even if you register by phone or mail, you can still create a fund-raising page with your own story about your participation in Reid's Ride. Check it out!
2008 Team Sarcoma Initiative and International Sarcoma Awareness Week
This, Reid's Ride is proud to be a participant in the 2008 Team Sarcoma Initiative, a collection of coordinated events like Reid's Ride focused on raising funds for sarcoma awareness and research. In 2007, over 3,700 people took part across the globe in this event. Interestingly enough, many of the Team Sarcoma events are taking place during International Sarcoma Awareness Week, July 12-20, 2008, including Reid's Ride.
For the day of Reid's Ride, we will have the Team Sarcoma Initiative bracelets available. Fashioned like the yellow "Livestrong" bracelets with which we are all famility, the Team Sarcoma bracelets bring a heightened awareness to sarcomas, considered by many to be "the forgotten cancer". Sarcomas are particularly dangerous cancer in adolescents and young adults; it was a sarcoma that took Reid's life.
For more information about these events, and the extraordinary efforts of the Liddy Shriver Sarcoma Initiative, click HERE.
Now, to register or support the 2008 Reid's Ride Bike-a-thon, read below.
- If you prefer to register by mail, download a rider registration form by clicking HERE.
- If you prefer to register by phone, call us at 781-632-2025.
- Or look for our registration brochures around town, pick one up, and return it to us.
Details about the 2008 Reid's Ride Bike-a-thon
| What: |
4th Annual Reid's Ride 28-mile Bike-a-thon |
| What Day: |
Sunday, July 20, 2008. |
| What Time: |
Same-day registration starts at 6:30 AM. The first riders begin leaving around 7AM, and the majority of riders have left by 8:30 AM. Most riders will have completed the route in anywhere between 90 minutes and fours hours. |
| Where: |
The ride starts at Lynnfield High School (see map); the barbeque picnic and reception is at Stage Fort Park in Gloucester (see map). "Virtual" riders are encouraged to participate if they cannot join us on the 20th.
|
| Why: |
First of all, it's a lot of fun. Second of all, all proceeds from registration fees and funds raised by each rider benefit the ECCF/Reid Sacco Memorial Cancer Research Fund in its fight against the cancers striking adolescents and young adults. |
| Cost: |
The cost for registration is $50. Registrants will receive a Reid's Ride t-shirt, chances to win great prizes, and are invited to the the barbeque reception at Stage Fort Park.
Riders are asked to do their best to raise a minimum of $125 in pledges from family and friends in support of your participation. In past rides, individual riders have raised as much as $8,000!! Prizes are awarded to the riders and teams raising the most funds
We want to recognize the efforts of those riders who will also be participating in this year's Pan Mass Challenge to benefit Dana Farber Cancer Institute; they are required only to pay the registration fee to participate in this year's Reid's Ride.
|
| Safety: |
Technical and safety support are provided. The route is monitored start to finish by radio-equipped vans; Lyon's Ambulance patrols the route in case of injury; Landry's Bicycles provides technical support at the starting line and along the route; and there are water stops along the route, and a rest/refreshment and lavatory stop at the mid-way point. We require all cyclists under 18 to wear helmets; everyone else is strongly encouraged to do so.
|
| Route: |
See below for the bike-route directions. |
| Transportation: |
Our more experienced riders consider the 28 miles journey to Gloucester just a half-day's work, and after a break at Stage Fort Park turn around and make their way back to Lynnfield or home, taking advantage of superb biking routes in Gloucester, Essex, Hamilton and other North Shore towns.
For the rest of us, we'll have transportation to take you and your bike back to Lynnfield High. However, you may want to have family or friends drive to the reception and park in the Gloucester High parking lot a short walk away. Have them join the reception with us, and you can return home with them.
|
About the Bike Route
The route is 28 miles in length and is moderately challenging depending on your cycling experience. There are a couple of challenging hills, but overall the route is level. This event is not a race, so riders ride at their own pace, arriving at the finish line between 1.5 and 4 hours after starting. All roads are paved and clearly marked and the scenery is quite remarkable. The route passes through a broad range of environments--everything from small neighborhoods and town centers, to rural countryside and past massive coastal estates. Later portions of the route run parallel to the ocean approaching Cape Ann. A facilities-equipped rest and refreshments stop will be set up in parking lot at Endicott College facing the ocean, at roughly the half-way point.
The route will be patrolled and monitored by a volunteer radio teams provided by Cape Ann Amateur Radio Association. Volunteers in pick-up trucks patrol the route for riders needing technical or medical assistance. Landry's Bicycles graciously provides technical support at the starting line and the rest stop. Lyons Ambulance generously provides EMT coverage.
|
|
Bike Route
For a Google Map of the route (graciously developed by Joseph Thomas and my cousin, Ron Sarro), click HERE
Mapquest Directions [cumulative miles] :
From Lynnfield High School Parking Lot (275 Essex Street) --> Turn LEFT taking you West on ESSEX ST [0.66] --> Turn RIGHT onto MAIN ST and follow for 1.78 miles [2.44] --> MAIN ST becomes BOSTON ST (ROUTE 62) and continue to follow for 0.42 miles [2.86] Bear LEFT to stay on BOSTON ST (ROUTE 62) and follow for 1.9 miles to intersection with Route 114 [4.76] --> Turn LEFT onto S MAIN ST (ROUTES 114 & 62) and follow briefly for 0.15 miles [4.91] --> Turn RIGHT onto MAPLE ST (ROUTE 62), and head East for 1.20 miles [6.11] --> Turn RIGHT onto GREGORY ST. heading Southeast for 0.58 miles where it turns into DAYTON ST [6.69] --> Continue on DAYTON ST for 1.52 miles (watch for Comfort Inn on your right) [8.21] --> Just before reaching ROUTE 1, turn RIGHT onto ARMORY RD. and follow very briefly for 0.07 miles [8.28] --> Turn LEFT onto CENTRE ST so that you pass under Route 1, and continue Southeast for 0.80 miles [9.08] --> Turn LEFT onto HOBART ST going Northeast and follow for 1.28 miles [10.36] --> Turn RIGHT onto MAPLE ST (ROUTE 35) and continue Southeast for 0.22 miles [10.58] --> Turn LEFT onto CONANT ST and follow it East for 0.47 miles [11.05] --> Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto ELLIOTT ST (ROUTE 62); follow Southwest through Beverly Center for 3.67 miles [14.72] --> Turn LEFT onto STONE ST (ROUTE 127) and head East for 0.27 miles [14.99] --> Turn SLIGHT LEFT onto LOTHROP ST (ROUTE 127) and follow for 0.76 miles [15.75] --> Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto HALE ST (ROUTE 127) and follow for 1.61 miles to the rest stop at Endicott College [17.36] --> Leaving Endicott College, continue Northeast on HALE ST (ROUTE 127) for 1.68 miles [19.04]Turn RIGHT onto WEST ST (ROUTE 127) and continue East/Northeast for 2.17 miles [21.21] --> West St becomes BRIDGE ST (ROUTE 127) as you enter Manchester, and follow for 0.57 miles [21.78]**Be careful for some quick turns around this small shopping district (stay on Rt 127)**Turn RIGHT onto BEACH ST (ROUTE 127) and follow briefly for 0.05 miles [21.83] --> Turn LEFT onto SUMMER ST (ROUTE 127) and follow briefly for 0.06 miles [21.89] --> Continue East on SUMMER ST (ROUTE 127) for 3.02 miles where it turns into WESTERN AVE [24.91] Continue East for 2.72 miles on WESTERN AVE (ROUTE 127) toward Stage Fort Park [27.63] --> Turn RIGHT onto HOUGH AVE and follow for 0.4 miles to the finish line at Stage Fort Park [28.03]
|
Bike-a-Thon (Reid's Ride) 2007
The 2007 Reid's Ride Bike-a-thon was another wonderful success! Thanks to all who rode in the event, who sponsored riders for the event, who volunteered their time prior to and during the event, and who donated products and services for the event. The event ran smoothly and safely and the weather was perfect.
Photos of the event can be found on the FlickR photo site where we have a Foundation page. Click HERE to go directly to that page.
The 3rd Annual Reid's Ride Bike-a-Thon was held on Sunday, July 22, 2007, on one of the few days of beautiful weather we've had this July. A week of drearly wet weather finally released the region from the threat of rain late Saturday, but returned Sunday night. Sunday morning was a spectacularly clear, dry, and cool and perfect for the ride to Gloucester.
Registration and Sponsoring Information
The registration fee was once again only $50, and riders are asked to get family and friends to support their ride with pledges totalling a minimum of only $125. Riders who will participate in the 2007 Pan Massachusetts Challenge (Dana Farber) were exempted from this pledge request. Prizes were awarded to riders and teams raising the most pledges. All proceeds from this event benefit the ECCF/Reid R Sacco Memorial Cancer Research Fund and its mission to find better treatments for the cancers predominantly striking adolescents and young adults.
Bike-a-Thon (Reid's Ride) 2006
The 2nd Annual Reid's Ride Bike-a-Thon was held on Sunday, July 23, 2006 and was once again success, raising $60,000 for the Reid R Sacco Memorial Cancer Research Fund. Although the day started with drenching showers, the rains let up in time for the start of the race and left riders with cool and comfortable conditions for the ride to Gloucester.
Sponsors & Volunteer Organizations
Landry's Bicycles for providing a mobile Technical Support team during the ride. Be sure to check out their Danvers, Boston, Natick or other stores for their extensive selection of top cycles and gear.
The Lynnfield Rotary and Gloucester Rotary, for their generous and tireless assistance in helping feed our hungry riders and guests at Stage Fort Park.
Lyon's Ambulance, for providing a crew to monitor the ride and come to a rider's medical aid should that unlikely event occur.
Rentals
For those looking to rent a cycle for the event, two good options are:
- Bay Road Bikes, 52 Railroad Avenue, South Hamilton (978-468-1301)
- The Bike Stop, 42 Dudley St., Arlington (781-646-7867)
Bike-a-Thon (Reid's Ride) 2005
The inaugural Reid's Ride Bike-a-thon, held on Sunday, July 24, 2005, was a spectacular success. Despite having commenced planning for the event only after Reid's death less than four months ago, more than 225 riders and 100 volunteers participated in what was a fun, safe, and smoothly-run bike-a-thon and barbeque. The event raised more than $95,000 to benefit the Foundation's objective of funding leading-edge research into the treatment and cure of cancers affecting young adults.
The weather was spectacular, too, and we continue to receive compliments on the route, the food, the organization of the event, and on the fun everyone had. People are already talking about next year's ride and many of our volunteers are planning to exchange their seats at the registration or watering tables for seats on road bikes.
We cannot adequately express our gratitude to the riders, volunteers, pledgers, sponsors, communities, and officials who made this event so successful. Their hard work and generosity helped make this effort incredibly rewarding, and helped make this day -- on what would have been Reid's 21st birthday -- a day of healing instead a day of heartache.
Some Statistics
- 229 Registered Riders came from 65 different towns and 4 different states.
- 140 of those riders registered the morning of the race.
- More than 1,200 individuals supported these riders with pledges
- Pledges came from individuals living in more than 230 different towns and 26 different states.
- 36 riders/teams collected more than $500 in pledges.
- 15 riders/teams collected more than $1,000 in pledges.
- 5 riders/teams collected more than $2,000 in pledges.
- More than 90 individuals made donations despite not being able to ride.
- 150 balloons were used to mark the route and decorate the start and finish lines
- More than 100 volunteers helped in planning and executing the event
- 350 t-shirts were given out to riders and volunteers
- The barbeque served up 300 Fuddrucker's hamburgers, 500 Kayem hotdogs, and dozens of Dom's sausages.
Photos
We're trying our best to post all the photos to the site's photo gallery. A few dozen at a time. Click HERE to go to that gallery. Below are a few shots of the event.
|
