Most of you know that I belong to a charity, Bike The US For MS. Any of you who know me well might even be sick of hearing about it, but I want to devote today’s post to this group, since it’s been such a huge part of my life. I write about activities I do with Bike The US For MS a lot of course, but I don’t think I’ve ever just stopped and written a post specifically about them. It’s an organization that was started by a man who had a personal connection to the disease about 15 years ago. I discovered them about 6 years ago, and to be honest, I had no connection with MS - I was just looking for a community to join that would help me with riding my bike across the country. I had done my own, self-directed ride and I enjoyed it but I wanted to have that experience with others. It was a rough time in my life, a very lonely and sad time, and I needed some friends, and BTUSFMS came through in spades. It’s probably an exaggeration to say they saved my life, but I definitely think they improved my quality of life a hundred fold, giving me some direction, some connection, something to be proud of. And that continues to this day.
I know for those of who reading this, it may be hard to imagine yourself riding your bicycle across the country. And it’s true that for some of you it’s not a goal that would ever make any sense. But I bet somewhere out there reading these words there’s someone who enjoys the outdoors, would love to meet new people and do something to be proud of. I can tell you there was a time when I never could have imagined myself riding a bicycle across country, and now I’ve done it between 2 and 4 times (depending on how you count). And I’m going to do it again!
It is a lot to ask - both time and money - but the rewards are amazing. You meet amazing people, you get to see a part of the country that you’ve never seen before, and in a way you’d never get to see. Riding into small town America is a unique experience and something I’ll cherish.
If you have any interest in this great organization, just hit me up and I’ll tell you everything you need to know!
