MS 150

Slide 1
It all started with a bike...



We weren't expecting commit to a 150 mile bike ride the day we got our his-and-hers bikes; in fact, we were both a little intimidated about biking in general: road bikes or mountain bikes, clips or regular pedals, helmets, computers, bike shorts (you mean spandex?!), sit bones, cadence, aero bars, drops and, oh yeah, front and back braking. However, all of that apprehension was temporarily suspended when a man approached my husband and me in the parking lot of the bike store as we wheeled our new bikes to the car. He leaned out of his car window and asked us if we were bikers. My husband and I kind of looked at each other and smiled. Ha! Not yet. He told us that his dad was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis several years ago and that this year was his first opportunity to participate in the MS 150– a two day bike ride that starts in Duluth and ends in White Bear Lake. He was a building a team and asked us if we were interested in being a part of it. We were struck by the curious circumstances and the desire to be a part of something that would challenge us and benefit others. There was something special and compelling about this seemingly random encounter. A few days later over coffee with this man, Jason, at Barnes and Noble, we joined in the fight to end Multiple Sclerosis. 

It's been a little over a year that we first met Jason and we're now training for our second MS 150. Jason, and his fiance Rachael, have become great friends of ours and we've enjoyed getting to know them better and working together to build up our team, starting last year with four people and growing to about ten people this year. We're excited to make our mark against MS and riding in the MS 150 is a spectacular opportunity for both riders and donors to participate in the fight. 

Multiple Sclerosis was first recognized as a distinct disease in 1868 and it affects the Central Nervous System (comprised of the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves), stopping people from being able to move. MS is a life-long, chronic disease which directly impacts over 2 million people world-wide, including 8,000-10,000 children in the US alone and, unfortunately, it has been suggested to affect an estimated 200 new people each which makes the quest for a cure an urgent and highly significant task. The disease is experienced differently by each individual as it presents cognitive and physical disabilities of varying degrees and in varying intervals. 

Multiple Sclerosis has no cure...yet. 

Slide 1
Stud and I rode last year because it couldn't have just been a coincidence that we met Jason and heard about why he is riding. We rode to become part of the effort to find a cure for MS. We rode because we could. This year, Stud will be in CA for his pre-deployment training and will be unable to participate, but I'm riding to continue to show financial and moral support for those struggling with this debilitating disease. 

Last year over 4000 riders rode the 150 miles with pride and camaraderie, pushing forward as do the hundreds of thousands of people who manage their MS every day with dignity, hoping for better medication and, one day, a cure. If you'd like to join in the effort, there's a place for you!
Do you have a bike? Do you want to experience the ride of your life over a fully-supported journey from Duluth to White Bear Lake, MN? Join our team or create your own!

Check out the National MS Society's website for more information or see our team's page here.

Not super interested in bike riding? The MS 150 needs many volunteers for it to be able to support all of the riders. Last year I couldn't ride the second day because of knee problems so I just switched over to volunteering and it was a great experience! 

Check out this link to see all of the areas in which you could use YOUR talents on the big weekend!

Finally, the financial resources raised through events like the MS 150 ensure that the quest for a cure can move forward. If you're looking for a great way to participate in this important quest, please consider donating. No matter how big or how small your financial gift may be, think about that being added to thousands of other gifts that the riders are working to collect as they prepare to ride to end Multiple Sclerosis. It all adds up and it all makes a difference for those working every day to find a cure.

If you would like to give financially, you can view my page and donate to my account here
Your gift makes a difference. Thank you.