The Pan-Massachusetts Challenge was held on August 4th and 5th. Approximately 4,800 cyclists participated in the event. They traveled nine routes. The Pan-Massachusetts Challenge is the country’s first fundraising bike-a-thon. It raises more money than any other athletic fundraising event in the U.S.A.. The event is anticipated to raise $27 million this year and a check will be presented in November. Funds raised benefit the Dana-Farber Cancer Insitute through The Jimmy Fund in Boston, MA.

Cyclists ride through 46 Massachusetts towns along the ride. They rode 50 to 192 miles over the one or two days.

Billy Starr founded the Pan-Massachusetts Challenge more than twenty years ago. When Starr was 25, his mother died from melanoma. Starr planned a hiking trip through the Appalachian Trial (city, state) with several friends. The eight day adventure was challenging. From this Starr understood that ‘those who put in the mental energy, not just the physical energy, follow their goals from theory to mission accomplished.’ (Source: from PMC.org website). In 1977 Starr began making long cycle rides from Boston to Provincetown, RI. In 1980 Starr began the Pan-Massachusetts Challenge.

Source: PMC.org

Zain Rahman of Mississauga, (Ontario)Canada has begun a month-long, 3,100 kilometre cycle ride to raise funds for the Canadian Cancer Society, the Heart & Stroke Foundation and the President’s Choice Children’s Charity. He began his ride on Wednesday, August 1st.

Rahman’s goal is to ride 150 kilometres every day. His original goal was to ride coast-to-coast but he did not have enough vacation time. He has created a route that he can complete in a month. He plans to stay at campgrounds, hotels or with old friends along the route. He has a GPS system and also a cell phone. People can track his journey at his website through his GPS.

Source: Mississauga.com

On Saturday, August 4th Edwina Mattinson began a cycling journey that starts in Istanbul, Turkey and will end in Beijing, China. Mattinson is cycling a journey created by Tour d’Afrique Ltd., called The Silk Route. Tour d’Afrique is a Toronto, Canada company that creates destination cycling expeditions. In 2004 Mattinson and her husband cycled from Cairo to Cape-Town. “It was a huge confidence booster and made me realize anyone can do anything.”

The cycling journey Mattison is taking now will take 108 days in total and she will cycle 10,000 kilometres. Mattison is raising funds for two organizations: NOVA and Holly’s Room. NOVA offers palliative home care and cancer care and is located in Beaconsfield, Canada. Holly’s Room is a special project that furnishes the Montreal General Hospital’s psychiatry ward. The organization is named after the late Holly Nelson. Nelson was a close friend of Mattinson.

Source: The Chronicle

The 24 Hours of Booty, an event held by the Lance Armstrong Foundation is the only 24-hour road cycling event in the U.S.A.. The event was presented by the Carolinas Medical Center, Blumenthal Cancer Center Charlotte, NC. They have not only reached thier original fundraising goal of $500,000 but have sped past it to raise $668,000. These funds will benefit cancer research and programs.

The event was held on July 27th through July 28th. More than 1,300 participants rode in the event. The 24 Hours of Booty, held in Charlotte, NC had cyclists riding through Myers Park along the well-known “Booty Loop”. The “Booty Loop” was named by people who cycle or run around the three-mile loop that includes hills and also flat areas in a very scenic area of Charlotte, NC.

People that ride for 24-hours typically complete 250-325 miles according to the 24 Hours of Booty website. The event is not a race.

The 24 Hours of Booty event included “Bootyville” where participants could enjoy camping, food and meeting fellow cyclists.

Source: Charlotte dBusiness News

George Hood now has the world exercise-bike endurance record and is waiting for The Guinness Book of World Records to officially give him this title. The new record for exercise-bike endurance by Hood is 109 hours.

This is actually not the Burr Ridge, Illinois resident’s first attempt at a Guinness World record: in 1986 Hood achieved the world jump-roping endurance record. But someone else beat his record during that year, so Hood’s record did not stand. The Guinness Book of World Records is released yearly and records are updated annually.

Hood has made the attempt to beat the world record to assist with a fund-raiser for Willowbrook/Burr Ridge Kiwanis Club to benefit the Twin Lakes Camp. Hood has raised $15,000 for the organization.

Source: Beacon News Online.com

This year’s Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa was a bit more special, because internationally-known cyclist Lance Armstrong is joined the ride. RAGBRAI is a week-long event which includes approximately 10,000 cyclists across 477 miles through the beautiful state of Iowa. It began in Rock Rapids, Iowa on Saturday, July 21st and will end in Bellevue, Iowa on Saturday, July 28th.

Charities are benefiting from the 7 day bicycle ride. The Livestrong Foundation, Armstrong’s Foundation has a team of 150 cyclists who have raised funds to be a part of the event. The American Cancer Society, Iowa Chapter will have approximately 40 people riding. They will also have information booths to educate participants and spectators about cancer, treatment and research.

Source: DesMoinesRegister.com

500 bicyclists joined the charity fund-raiser that offers riders views of Channel Islands Harbor and Santa Barbara Harbor. This specific tour was created to train riders for the California Coast Classic Tour.

Proceeds raised go to benefit the Arthritis Foundation and also to help maintain safe area bike paths. The ride had been anticipated to raise about $20,000.

Riders had three routes to select from: a Century ride (102 miles with a 4,000 foot climb in elevation), a Metric Century (60 miles with 2,000 feet of climb), and a Half Metric Century (33 miles with 1,000 feet of climb).

The ride attracted bicyclists from as far away as Alaska, New York and Colorado.