Banana Bike team supporters Sharlene Cancel, New Britain, Mike Stacy, Rocky Hill, Ben Stacy, Rocky Hill, and Danielle Vollono, East Haven, celebrated the kick-off of the 2014 Praxair Bike MS Ride, in Windsor. Stacy, a radio personality for WRCH Lite 100.5 who captains the Banana Bike MS fundraising team, received an award for his 25 years of continuous support at the start of the 25-mile route. His son, Ben, spent the day dressed as the banana man, the team’s mascot.
HARTFORD, Conn.—The 2015 Bike MS Praxair Ride, presented by Louis Dreyfus Commodities, will be held Sunday, June 7, in Windsor and Sunday, June 14, in Westport. Although there are two separate rides, there is only one destination in mind for these cyclists — a world free of MS.
Bike MS is a physical challenge for cyclists of every level, but it’s so much more than just a ride. The camaraderie, passion and memories that come from sharing the experience with family, friends and teammates last a lifetime.
Cyclists at the Windsor location will gather at Griffin Center Business Park and ride across the colonial countryside of Northern Connecticut, opting to cycle 10, 25, 50 or even 100 miles as well as a 2-mile kids’ ride. Cyclists can take in the serenity of Suffield’s farmland and test their speed against a Boeing 787 as they ride by the Bradley International Airport runway.
In Westport, the ride will begin at Sherwood Island State Park and cyclists will ride the best of Fairfield County – from the beaches of Long Island Sound to the tree-lined roads of the countryside. Route for this coast-to-country ride include 10-, 25-, 62- and 100-mile options.
Last year, Bike MS attracted more than 800 cyclists and raised $559,000 for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Connecticut Chapter.
Finish line festivities include a barbeque lunch, live entertainment, local vendors offering product samples, free massage therapy and more.
The registration fee for this year’s ride $35 with a minimum fundraising amount per registered rider of $125.
Community partners include WTNH News 8 and WRCH Lite 100.5, which has supported and promoted the ride for almost 30 years.
More than 6,500 Connecticut residents are affected by multiple sclerosis, a potentially debilitating disease. The cause is unknown and there is currently no cure for MS. Symptoms can include numbness in the limbs, difficulties with vision and speech, stiffness, loss of mobility and, in some more severe cases, total paralysis. The progress, severity, and specific symptoms of MS in any one person cannot be predicted.
Funds raised by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Connecticut Chapter, through events such as Bike MS, ensure ongoing scientific research to find better treatments and a cure, as well as help to provide vital programs and services offered by the chapter to those in the state living with multiple sclerosis.
For more information on the 2015 Bike MS Praxair Ride, presented by Louis Dreyfus Commodities, or to donate, visit www.ctfightsMS.org.