Read me first

Welcome to the Central NJ Charity Rides site.  My intention on starting this site was to have a place where bicyclists in Central NJ could find out about local charity rides, including some basic information about the rides and links to their sites.  I also thought that riders might be able to use the comments sections of the rides to find people to ride with (and/or train with).

I expect to include info in each post about:

• the ride name;
• a link to the site;
• location of the ride (it’s gotta be close enough for me to consider going for it to be posted here, and I live in Central Jersey);
• the cost, or expected donation (including information about whether an additional donation minimum is required or expected);
• length(s) of the course(s) offered;
• benefits to riders (t-shirts, goodie bags, &c.), if available;
• and reputation or reviews of the ride.

Ignore the dates below the titles; I haven’t figured out a way of ordering them that I like, so the dates will be in the post titles for now.

It’s not my intention to post about rides like the Princeton Freewheelers Event, or the Staten Island Bike Association Pumpkin Pedal, as while these support the bike clubs, the proceeds don’t go for other causes.

And keep the shiny side up, and the rubber side down!

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ending this blog

It’s become clear to me that this project is one in which the only person interested is me. Riders don’t look specifically for charity rides to do (they do rides that are either local, well-advertised, or of specific interest), and charity rides don’t want to advertise other rides for fear of cutting into their own participation.

I will leave these posts up through the end of the 2012 year, and then will delete these posts. I will look for another project to pursue.

Bike MS Great NJ Country Ride, 9/22 & 23/12

Bike MS is having three rides in New Jersey this year. The Great New Jersey Country Bike MS Ride leaves from Morris County on September 22 and 23. One- and two-day rides are available, with SAG support, a meal, and a comedy show on Saturday night

Routes on Saturday are 20 or 50 miles, on Sunday there is a 50-mile ride, and there is a two-day, 100-mile ride.

Registration amounts vary widely, based on the route chosen and the earliness of registration, and all riders are expected to come up with additional pledges of $1500-350.

Bike MS Hops to Hops, 9/16/2012

Bike MS is having three rides in New Jersey this year. The Hops to Hops Ridewill consist of 40- and 62-mile loops from Lambertville on September 16, 2012. SAG support, and a meal including River Horse Brewery ales will be provided.

Registration amounts vary widely, based on the route chosen and the earliness of registration, and riders are expected to provide additional pledges of $150 for the 40-mile ride and $200 for the 62-mile ride.

Tour de Cure: Jersey Shore (Asbury Park) 9/15/12

The Jersey Shore Asbury Tour de Cure will take place on September 15, 2012. A route guide and other information are available on the site, and 10-, 35-, 62-, and 100-mile routes will be available.

Registration is $15, and riders are expected to raise an additional $175. SAG, lunch, massages, and entertainment will be provided. Prizes are available for major fundraisers.

Gran Fondo NJ, Sep 7-9, 2012

The 2012 Gran Fondo NJ is scheduled for September 7-9, 2012

See the site here.

This ride is takes place in Morris County, and, although it is not a race, it includes at least one timed hill climb.

Costs vary from $80-175, depending on the length of ride chosen and the date of registration, Courses vary between 18-103 miles. Goody bags and a pint glass will be available for riders. This is only the second year of the event, so I don’t know much about it.

Ride for McBride, 9/8/12

Joe McBride was a local bicyclist who died in a riding accident a couple of years ago. In his honor, his friends and family have started a ride that supportsd scholarship fund for a student in the Social Policy & Practice department of the University of Pennsylvania. this year, the ride will be September 8, 2012. Ride lengths are 10, 25, and 50 miles; new routes are being set up this year Edit 3/17/12: I’m told that routes will be the same, and gpx/tcx files will be made available for riders with GPS units. Riders get a t-shirt and a post-ride lunch, and SAG stops and support will be provided. You can get more info and register at the Ride for McBride site. Cost is not yet posted; last year I paid $35 and additional donations were not required.

Ocean’s Harbor House 400 – 7/11-15, 2012

A multi-day ride in support of Ocean’s Harbor House, a home for homeless/runaway youth in Toms River, NJ. This five-day ride will cover 400 miles, from Barnegat, MD back to Brick, NJ. I don’t have much information about this ride (I first heard about it from an Anchor House rider, and I only have the online information); you can check out the site here.

Five-day, three-day, and one-day rides are available.  In addition to the registration fees, participants are required to raise at least $100 for the one-day ride, and $750 for the three- and five-day rides. Ocean’s Harbor House provides transportation and lodging; participants are responsible for other expenses.

Anchor House Ride, 7/7-13, 2012

I did the Anchor House ride last year, and was impressed with the quality of the preparation and support, and the loyalty of many of the long-time riders. This is a 500-mile ride over the course of a week. I’m glad this was my first multi-day ride.

There’s a lot of information at the ride site.

This year, they’ll be riding from Staunton, Va, back to Quakerbridge Mall. The cost is $100 for the ride appliation, plus a minimum donation of $750, but most riders raise much more.

Lodging and impressive SAG support is included. I plan to do it again when I can arrange with the excellent wife to set the time aside.

Tour de Cure, Princeton, 6/24/12

The Princeton Tour de Cure, the ride against diabetes, is scheduled for June 24, 2012. 10-, 30-, and 62-mile routes will be available, and there is a route guide available for download, with information about the ride (although not the routes themselves, which are still being finalized as this is written).

Registration is $15, and riders are expected to raise an additional $175. SAG, lunch, massages, and entertainment will be provided.

14 Annual ALS Express, 6/16/12

The ALS Association of Greater Philadelphia is hosting the ALS Express, a ride (or rides) with four starting points in South Jersey:
75 Miles– Blackwood, NJ
50 Miles- Vineland, NJ
25 Miles– Dennisville, NJ
10 Miles – Cape May Courthouse, NJ

Top fundraisers get ticket to a Phillies game. Individual riders are expected to collect donations in addition to the $100 registration fee. Rider packages will be mailed after June 10. Check the ride page here.

GW Bridge Challenge, 6/10/12

The George Washington Bridge Challenge, benefitting the Anmerican Cancer Society, is scheduled for June 10, 2012. Rides of 4, 15, 33, and 63 miles are planned, as are walks and runs of 5k and 10k. Costs of the ride are $40 or $45, depending on early registration; additional donations are solicited, but not required (donation categories include the over-$2500 mark). Routes will be marked and support provided, and a picnic follows the ride. Participants get a t-shirt; high-level donors can have their names on the shirts.

Revolutionary Ramble, 6/9/12

The Revolutionary Ramble is an event put on by the Morris Area Freewheelers Foundation; proceeds go to the support of local volunteer emergency squads. this year’s event is on June 9. They have rides of varying lengths from 12 miles on up to a century added this year. Registration costs $40-45 depending on time; it is limited for this ride, and the ride has been sold out the past three years.

Riders will get a t-shirt, and an event jersey is available for sale. Rides leave from Drew University in Madison, NJ.

Bike Ride for Amy (5th Annual), 6/3/12

The 5th Annual Amy Feiman Behar Foundation Bike Ride for Amy is scheduled for June 3. Three rides are listed: 25, 35, and 50-mile rides, the latter two described as “challenging” and “very challenging”. Entry fee is $25 ($15 prior to March 31), and riders are expected to raise a total of at least $140, including the entry fee.

The ride starts at South Brunswick High School (hey, it’s local to ME!)

There is no mention of t-shirt, goody bag, or food on the site. It appears there will be SAG support, as there is a request for volunteers. Halter’s Cycles offered a 10% discount on a bike tune-up to last year’s participants.

(There is discussion on the site about alternate dates for rain begin posted on June 5, two days after the ride, but this may be leftover from the previous year’s page.)

Skylands Tour de Cure, 6/3/12

The Skylands Basking Ridge Tour de Cure will take place on June 3, 2012. A route guide and other information are available on the site, and 10-, 30-, 50-, 75-, and 100-mile routes will be available.

Registration is $15, and riders are expected to raise an additional $175. SAG, lunch, massages, and entertainment will be provided. Prizes are available for major fundraisers.

Pedaling for Prevention, Burn Center at St Barnabas, 6/3/12

The Burn Center at St Barnabas health Center in Livingston is holding the annual Pedaling for Prevention ride on June 3. Routes of 10, 25, and 40 miles are available. Reistration is $50 for adults, and additional donations are not required but strongly encouraged (a jersey is available for a $500 total donation). T-shirts are provided, and ride support and SAG numbers are available.

Cory’s Ride, 6/2/12

Cory’s Ride is held each year in memory of Cory Golis, a young rider who was killed on the last day of the Anchor House Ride in 1998. In his memory, his family and the Anchor House Foundation instituted this ride. The proceeds go for tuition for high-school students or recent grads. This year, it will be held on June 2, 2012.

I rode this ride last year with a group of the Freewheelers. The route was well-marked (Edit 3/24/12: See the comments; I may have made a mistake about this ride), the staff were friendly, there was a good lunch, and a good graphic on the t-shirt. Registration was $30, with no additional donation required. It starts (and ends) at the Tall Cedars Picnic Park in Hamilton, NJ.

Many Anchor House riders will be there, and I expect I’ll do it again this year.

Bike MS Coast the Coast, 5/19 & 20, 2012

Bike MS is having three rides in New Jersey this year. The Coast the Coast Ride will go from Monmouth University to Cape May on May 19-20. One- and two=day rides are available, with SAG support, a meal, and shuttle bus rides back to the start points

Routes vary from a one-day, fifteen-mile loop, through a one-day, 85-mile ride, and a two-day, 170-mile ride.

Registration amounts vary widely, based on the route chosen and the earliness of registration, and all riders are expected to come up with additional pledges of $100-350.

Burlington Rotary 100, 5/19/12

The Burlington Rotary 100 will be held May 19. Ride lengths are 25, 50, 64, and 100 miles. Routes are marked, SAG support is provided, and riders get a lunch and t-shirt at the end of the ride. Riders will start and end at Burlington Twp High School; a Google map is on the ride site. Registration is $35 in advance, $40 day-of-ride, and I found no mention of additional fundraising expectations.

From the printed brochure:

There are very few of us in this club who are cyclist and we probalby could find something better to do on a Saturday. However, the mission of Rotary is to serve their communities while promoting harmony and good will throughout the world. All proceeds from this ride will be used for the Rotary Club of Burlington’s charitable programs such as scholarships, international friendship programs, support for local individuals in need and community organizations like the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, educational groups, and more. As a cyclist you can spend a day doing something you love and help support an organization whose motto is “Service above Self ” and whose goal is to improve friendship and understanding across the community and around the world.

I, for one, think that’s immensely cool.

Health Trek, Enright Foundation, 5/12/12

The Enright Foundation offers the 4th Annual Health Trek on May 12. Routes of 25, 50, and 100 km are available. Pre-registration is required by May 10, and a $250 donation is required in addition to the registration fee.

No information is available about support, giveaways, &c.

Go the Distance for Autism, 5/6/12

Go the Distance for Autism is a Bergen County ride in its third year. The announcement email included his language:

The event is a professionally run event and cyclists will have full SAG support throughout the ride followed by a great family event at the finish line… Registered riders create their own personal page to fundraise for autism education.  The event has 50, 25 and 10 mile routes on public roads as well as a Family Ride and Kids Rides on the Bergen Community College campus.

Riders can pick one of four schools to support, or can support all four.  Registration is $25, with an additional expected donation of $125 (although teams of at least four riders have a lower per-person fundraising goal). Cue sheets are available on the ride site. Riders get a t-shirt, “…and entry to the Food & Beverage and Family Fun Area.”

The site is well-made; if the ride is as well-done as the site, it will be a good one!

Draw for Sight Poker Ride (Maryland), 4/29/12

From the ride site (go there for a link to Active.Com to register):

The Chestertown Lions Club welcomes cyclists to Draw For SightBicycle Poker Run Ride. The tour consists of a 36 or 60 mile rolling to flat course.  The route takes in the scenery of the heartland of Upper Kent County in Maryland including farmlands, old country homes, quaint towns, and great country stores. The ride goes through historic Chestertown.

Route starts and ends at Betterton Volunteer Fire Company, 2 Howell Point Road, Betterton, MD 21610.  Click here for directions.

Time:
Registration Hours:
7:30 am to 8:30 am
Rides start at 8:30 am
Rides end promptly at 1:00 pm.
Last Sweep 1:00 pm
All score cards must be turned in by 1:00 pm.

Cost:
$20 until March 31, 2012
$25 until April 27, 2012, 8:00 pm EST
$30 Day of Ride
– Blind riders ride for FREE
– No Refunds
– Fee includes map, marked route, sag wagon and five food stops
– All score cards must be turned in by 1:00 pm.

Tour de Franklin, 4/29/12

The Franklin Township Food Bank Tour de Franklin has been changed to April 29, 2012 (I’ve been waiting for that event page to be updated). One of the earliest charity rides of the season, this event includes:

• A 62-mile metric century;
• A 40-mile ride that includes all six towns in Franklin Township;
• A 25-mile tour;
• A 5-10 mile road-plus-towpath ride, that includes a section of the D&R Canal Towpath (and some road riding);
• A ten-mile route that “everyone can enjoy”;
• 1-5-mile “walk-rides”, to “provide persons of all ages and abilities additional options to get involved” (I don’t know what that means, either).

Costs vary from $30-45, depending on the length of the ride chosen. The cost includes a cue sheet, a t-shirt, a goody bag, and lunch, and no additional donation is required (although they do ask, and are grateful to receive them).

I did this ride last year, and had a good time, not least because the route for the metric century led us DOWN Old Georgetown Road (a rippin’ downhill) without havin’ to go UP Coppermine (a hill of some notoriety). I’m planning to form a team of Princeton Freewheelers to do the metric century for this event.

Ride for Michael (Ocean’s Harbor House), 4/28/12

Ocean’s Harbor House, which also does a multi-day ride, offers this Ride for Michael, a one-day ride. 10-, 25-, and 50-miles routes are available, and GPS files are available on the ride page. (I have no other information about this.)