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Million Dollar Bikers

By Beacon Staff

If you happened to drive the North Fork Road Saturday, you probably saw dozens of bicycle riders. They were everywhere you looked.

220 bikers, to be exact.

But these aren’t any ordinary bicyclists. They’re “century” riders, which means that they are riding 100 miles at one time.

The riders traveled from all over the U.S. to pedal 100 miles up and down the North Fork to raise funds for a Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation event series called “Ride for the Cure”.

Atlanta resident Brock Ryan (a Ride for the Cure medical team member) indicated that the Ride participants are coached to improve their long-distance riding, and train year-round to get into shape for the 100 mile ride. Ryan also indicated that each participant must gather $4000 in pledges to qualify to participate in the ride. The pledge amounts cover travel expenses and, of course, fund additional research into a cure for juvenile diabetes.

Before he was pulled away by a rider needing assistance with 100 miles worth of leg cramps, Ryan also noted that the riders would be back in 30 days. Apparently the North Fork ride was so popular with last year’s group that the JDRF decided to bring 2 groups to the North Fork in 2007. Ryan indicated that each ride raises about a million dollars for juvenile diabetes research.

You can learn more about the Ride for the Cure at http://ride.jdrf.org/.

These bikers will remember the North Fork with even more fondness when they take their October ride. It’s in Death Valley.