MCPc Bike Team Rides for American Cancer Society
Posted on Mon, Aug 06, 2012 @ 10:40 AM
Members of TeamMCPc, MCPc's charity cycling team, joined about 500 other cyclists to bike 328 miles over 4 days in the American Cancer Society's Pan Ohio Hope Ride in late July 2012. The event raises money for the ACS's Hope Lodges, which offer cancer patients and their caregivers a free, temporary place to stay when their best hope for effective treatment may be in another city. I and the rest of the MCPcTV team -- Evan Galloway and Kate Dedinsky -- traveled with the cyclists to document the entire ride.
Day 1 – In the Sun, the Wind and the Rain
Imagine traveling across a state. What mode of transportation would you use? Would you travel by your own strength, or would you have something assisting you, say a vehicle with an engine? Now, consider that 501 cyclists chose to make a 328-mile journey using only a bike and a strong sense of determination to make a difference for cancer patients. Day 1 of the ride was a formidable 76-mile leg starting from the Hope Lodge in Cleveland.
Day 2 – The Century
The warm-up hill before the dreaded Jackson hill
Day 2 was the most challenging stretch of the ride -- 100 miles. A tall order, but in the words of Jim Bond, cancer survivor: "Hills are hard, but cancer is harder."
Day 3 – Who Are You Riding For?
On day 3 I witnessed something that really drove the message of the event home. I am calling it the symphony of voices. All 501 cyclists mounted the Ohio Statehouse stairs and in unison spoke those five simple words: Who Are You Riding For? The sound that was produces was so awesome that the buildings around us seemed to chant it back in the echo.
Day 4 – A Golden Hue
Team C.R.U.S.H. is interviewed before the start of the last day of the ride.
As the sun rose on the start of the start of the 4th and final day, the cyclists were preparing for the second longest leg of the ride. 90 miles separated them from the finishing line and they were determined to make those final miles memorable.
The Finish
The last wave of riders cross the finish line at Yeatman's Cove in Cincinnati.
There were tears and celebration as the riders crossed the finish line into Yeatman's Cove, and it was a wonderful sight to behold. The cyclists were exhausted, but the knowledge of what they just accomplished and what all of this meant to cancer sufferers likely carried them through to the end.
TeamMCPc
TeamMCPc, minus a few cyclists, enjoy the Kickoff Dinner the day before the start of the ride.
The 6th annual Pan Ohio Hope Ride, as of this writing, has raised $744,448.94, and that number keeps increasing. TeamMCPc fielded 15 cyclists and raised $33,242.66. TeamMCPc is dedicated to raising money and awareness for this and many other causes. Go to TeamMCPc.com to learn more about their mission and how you can contribute.
 |
Jason Dell is MCPc's in-house photographer and a team member of MCPcTV, the home of our digital studio productions. Connect with Jason on LinkedIn.
|
Stay Connected with MCPc: Subscribe to the blog; follow us on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn.