I have ridden with my pup, Watson, at the Coast to the Cure bike ride for awareness, advocacy, and raise funds for NF Northeast three times in the past four years. Every September, the Coast to the Cure bike ride takes over the beautiful streets of Gloucester and the surrounding area. The event have some of the best views, great rest stops, and the most supportive people. I love bringing Watson to the event because he ALWAYS gets more cheers than I ever will on a bike and elevates my level of cool and style.
This year, in an effort to continue innovating how to raise funds and awareness for the Coast to the Cure ride, I am going to be doing a fundraising event around Watson and biking. Growing up there was always walk-a-thons happening and they are often displayed on TV (thinking of an early episode of The Office). The donator pledges to donate X amount of money per mile you walk over a certain time frame. We’re going to take that same concept and apply it to the amount of miles that Watson can ride in the month of June. All proceeds will go directly towards my team (Nat Your Average Cyclists) for the Coast to the Cure ride in September.
Why are we raising money for NF?
Great question. My nephew, Nat, was diagnosed with NF-1 when he was six months old and the doctor noticed his cafe-au-lait spots. While he’s a happy go-lucky kid who loves Hot Wheels, Marvel Movies, and building lego sets he also has had more surgeries and MRIs by age 10 than most people will have in a lifetime. My family got involved with NF Northeast early on to help affect change for this lesser known disease with no current cure. Right now, Congress is “deciding” whether or not to return NF funding to their budget (they already cut it earlier). NF Northeast (and all of their nationwide affiliates) needs support to be able to fight for funding and bring awareness to the cause.
Not only is this a great cause to throw support behind, but Nat has been obsessed with dogs since he was my little training buddy in a trailer, and he and Watson became fast friends. We’re both happy to support Nat and the cause!
So… How Does This Work?
Well, just like a walk-a-thon, you can pledge to donate X amount of money per mile that Watson rides during the month of June. If you pledge .25 cents a mile, and he rides 100 miles, you are committing to donating $25 dollars to my fundraiser. I have developed a very sophisticated open spreadsheet here, that you can list your name, email, and your ability to support. At the end of June, I’ll contact everyone on the list and let them know how much their pledge came out to. If you’re not able to commit to a per mile amount, you can also donate a lump sum, but by adding your name to the spreadsheet we can keep track of donators for the raffle.
You can sign up for the ride-a-thon through the end of June (the last day for Watson to track miles is June 30th) and still be entered for the raffle. You can donate any time up until the event on September
Did Someone Say Raffle?
Yup! If you donate towards this event (lump sum, or pledge per mile) you will be entered into a raffle for a pair of sports glasses thanks to the generous donation of Gateway Vision in Westford, MA. More raffles potentially coming soon, I’ll keep this section updated!
How Many Miles Can Watson Ride in June?
You may be asking yourself, “Before I commit to a number… how many miles can Watson ride?”. That’s an excellent question. In general, Watson can spend about an hour at a time in the backpack. A lot of our riding tends to be a commute here and commute there of 3-5 miles. Sometimes we ride to the beer garden or along the river on the weekends for a 20 mile round trip.
Our personal goal is 100 miles in June, with a stretch goal of 150 miles. That does not mean this will be the final number, but I want to give you a reasonable understanding of how much he may go. We could very well get amazing weather and make it 200 miles (for reference, without Watson, I ride around 100 miles a week min. most weeks).
Disclaimer: Here’s the thing people, I am not trying to trick anyone into donating more than they are able, this is just a fun and engaging way to raise some funds for a great cause. If Watson rides more than you were expecting at the end of the month, let’s chat!
Can I Track Watson’s Progress?
You sure can! I set up a Strava account for Watson so I can track his mileage. Follow him to see what adventures he gets up to. You can also follow his Instagram account where we’ll be posting about upcoming rides where you can come and join him!
How Can I Donate?
Whether you are looking to donate now or at the end of June, you can donate directly to my and Watson’s team for the Coast to the Cure Bike Ride which is called “Nat Your Average Cyclists“. Again, at the end of June I will email everyone who pledged with their final tally (which again again is also accessible in my sophisticated spreadsheet).
Can I Join Your Team / Ride the Coast to the Cure in September?
Of course!! I would love to have you on my team (or just at the ride in general)! You can either register here as a single rider or join my team and search for the name “Nat Your Average Cyclists” with the Team Caption Laura.
Where Are All The Links One More Time?
Sign Up Spreadsheet (which will also keep a running tally of miles so you can keep track throughout the month of June
Track Watson’s Progress on Strava
Enjoy the Adventure on Instagram (and maybe join us for a ride)
Donate Directly to the Coast to the Cure Team Page
Feature photo courtesy of Scott Istvan