CBC Riders

2023.05.10

16 days until the ride! How is your fundraising going? YAHOO!!! We jumped to #4, here is the top 5 fundraising teams as of today:

1. Team Donaldson $123,273.79
2. Real Estate Riders $107,774.38
3. Cargill $63,669.25
4. Team Finnegans $62,776.46
5. Team Pentair $61,981.00

Let's be sure to reach out to our whole network of family, friends, business acquaintances; it is okay if they say no, but what if they say yes? We have a total of 87 riders registered with the team, it is never too late to invite someone to join and ride with the team. Elliot Hoekstra is doing a phenomenal job at fundraising with $25,600 raised to date.

Our team check-in is on June 1st from 4pm to 6pm at 9748 Annapolis Ln N, Maple Grove.  The MS Society will be on site to collect any check or cash donations you have to turn in. All riders need to have their $300 minimum raised to check-in. I will have your jersey and team shirt for you to pick-up.  You can check-in others, they just need to have met their fundraising minimum and you'll need their shirt and jersey size.

I'm looking for people that can borrow the team some items for the ride weekend. I'm in need of large coolers for beverages and food, let me know if you have one to borrow. We also like to have about 10 bike pumps, if you have one to borrow the team for the weekend, let me know. Does anyone have a cornhole set to borrow the team, it would be fun to have a tournament Saturday Night, would anyone be willing to coordinate the tournament?

If you haven't paid the CBC Member fee yet, you should send it via PayPal or you can pay it at the team Check-in. If you haven't filled out the CBC Member form yet, please do. Also be sure to join our WhatsApp Group.

2023.05.10

30 days until the ride! How is your fundraising going? Oh no! We dropped to #4, here is the top 5 fundraising teams as of today:

1. Team Donaldson $87,939.79
2. Real Estate Riders $82,318.38
3. Team Robinson $52,296.15
4. Cargill $49,579.25
5. Team Finnegans $46,438.69

I have been working on all the details to ensure this weekend is a great experience for everyone. If you have any questions or special needs, please let me know as soon as possible. 

I hope everyone riding has joined the WhatsApp group called:  CBC Group (do not access if on the Cargill network, instant messaging is blocked; access from your Smartphone) We will use this channel for communications regarding group rides and ride events or other communications where members have questions and are looking for quick answers.

Please be sure to save our website as a favorite on your Smartphone for easy access to our information.

Team check-in is Thursday June 1st from 4-6pm all the details are in the post on May 3rd, see below. The event T-shirts for anyone raising $300+ will NOT be at the check-in, you will need to pick-up at Century College before you board the bus to Proctor, at the Proctor High School Saturday morning or at Century College Sunday after the ride. You will receive the team shirt for our group photo Saturday and the new team jersey.

Event T-shirt for those who meet or exceed the $300	Jersey for those that raise $1,000K+ (you'll pickup at Century College Friday 6/9)
Team Shirt for Group Photo	Team Jersey

2023.05.03    (communicated through the MS Society Message System)

We are only 37 days away from the MS150 Weekend, I hope you are getting excited!  Remember this is a ride NOT A race.  Don’t worry if you haven’t gotten enough time in the saddle, I know many who have participated with zero training rides, it can be done. There are 5 rest stops daily, spend as much time as you need at each rest stop, even the slowest riders will finish before 5pm. You always have the option to just ride day 1, no judgement. Maybe you utilize the SAG vehicles to get you to the next rest stop, no judgement. Mechanics are at each rest stop and happy to assist if you get flats or have issues. Ride Details

It is not too late to ask family and friends to join you for the weekend, the more riders we have the more money we raise for MS.  Be sure to send those fundraising communications, if you don’t ask, they can’t give. This is a competition week between teams to raise a lot of money for prizes. Fundraising Ideas

We have our TEAM CHECKIN on June 1^st, this is where the MS Society comes to us and will pass out all the information you need for the weekend. You must have your minimum $300 raised, have paid your Cargill Bike Club fee and filled out the Cargill Bike Club Membership Form.  Another person can check-in for you, be sure all the above is complete and they know your shirt/jersey sizes. This check-in will be at my home, 9748 Annapolis Ln N, Maple Grove from 4-6pm.  If you can’t make this check-in, you can do it at Century College Friday June 9^th before you board the busses to ride up to Duluth. You can also do it Saturday morning in the Proctor High School before you take off on the route.

All updates will be on our CBC Riders website, if you haven’t done so yet please save this as a favorite on your smartphone so you have easy access to it.  We also have a What’sApp Group called CBC Riders, please join it, as an easy way to communicate with the team. I will do my best to invite everyone to the group, just make sure you have downloaded the app to your smartphone.

We will have a speaker at our dinner Friday Night at the Holiday Inn, sharing her experience living with MS, it is a nice reminder of why we are all participating in this event. More details about the weekend will be coming, but they will all be posted on the website.

Be proud… We are #3 in fundraising, currently out of 127 teams registered to ride, but this will fluctuate a lot in the next month while all riders ramp up their fundraising. Another reason to be proud is out of the 1,769 registered riders, OUR TEAM, has the “top fundraiser”, Elliot Hoekstra, so far with $19,863.52 in donations!!!

The MS Society is always looking for volunteers for the event, if you have family or friends that want to volunteer they can Register.

As always reach out with any questions, I’m pretty responsive to text messages, I prefer that over emails.

Thank you everyone, you are really making a difference for those living with MS.

Kelly

2023.05.02

Hello All, time is passing fast, only 38 Days until the MS150 weekend. We currently have 86 registered riders, we are #3 in fundraising of the 127 teams registered. #2 is Real Estate Riders and #1 is Team Donaldson, so please get your fundraising sites setup and put the ask out there to everyone you know. We have raised $41,734.02 our goal is to raise $1K/rider making our current goal $86,000.

This week is another opportunity to win individual and team prizes for our fundraising, so please send out another communication and see if we can get more donations.

If you haven't joined our What'sApp group (CBC Riders) yet, please do, It will make quick communications much easier. This will hopefully work well for the MS150 ride weekend and also for the leads of our group rides.

Thursday June 1st from 4pm to 6pm will be our team check-in with the MS Society. This is where you will get your MS150 packet with the Bib numbers, luggage tags, event T-shirt, Team Jersey and Team Shirt - Everyone needs to have their minimum $300 raised to check-in. This year it will be out of my garage. My driveway is directly across the street from a path that takes you into the Elm Creek Park Reserve, great cycling paths. Parking is along the street, does anyone want to lead a ride on this night? You are all welcome to ride solo. Address for the check-in is:  9748 Annapolis Ln N, Maple Grove.

2023.04.12

Hello All, time is passing fast, only 58 Days until the MS150 weekend. We currently have 77 registered riders, we are #3 in fundraising of the 122 teams registered. #1 is Real Estate Riders and #2 is Team Donaldson, so please get your fundraising sites setup and put the ask out there to everyone you know. We have raised $31,077.52 our goal is to raise $1K/rider making our current goal $77,000. I want to give recognition to our top fundraiser this year, Elliot Hoekstra who has raised $19,167.02, AMAZING!!! What I need from everyone is:

• Fill out your club membership form, if in doubt, fill it out, I'd rather have two than none.
• Pay your bike club membership fee. $25 for Cargill employees and $50 for friends & family members, I prefer you pay through PayPal, but if you need to mail a check, send to Kelly Peterson | 9748 Annapolis Ln N, Maple Grove, MN 55369
• Make sure you are Registered for the MS150 if participating.
• Recruit your friends and family to join the bike club and ride in the MS150, to ride in the mS150 you need to be a Cargill Bike Club member. If everyone can "bring a friend" we can reach our goal of getting to 150 riders this year.
• Let me know if you are looking for a hotel room either Friday or Saturday night, I may have a room left.
• Our next Fundraising challenge will be the week of May 1-7. Check out the rewards and incentives.
• The weather has been great, be sure to check out the Group Rides and join in when your schedule allows, you need to be registered as a Club Member to participate in group rides, be sure you have completed the club membership form.
• Checkout the Primal Retail Website, they are offering us a 25% discount on cycling apparel due to our recent purchase of the new jerseys. Use code: 23ATVIA2Q

2023.03.30

There are some actions for you to take in this post so please read through the whole thing.

• Complete... *updated* Cargill Bike Club Membership Form (added questions for emergency contact and to get to know you better)
• Pay... the Cargill Bike Club Membership Fee - due May 1st, annually ($25 Cargill employees / $50 Friends & Family... After the member form has been submitted you will be sent a link to pay through PayPal)
• Fundraise... If participating in the MS150, please get started, we usually average more than $1K/rider, ask everyone, it costs nothing to ask. I want to congratulate and thank Elliot Hoekstra who has already raised $18,597.02 and his goal is $20K, WOW!!! Way to go! Please check out the fundraising Incentives. This next week, April 3 - 9th, there is a contest and there will be prizes at both the individual and team level, so this next week is really important to fundraise. Check out the Fundraising Toolkit if you need ideas.
• Volunteer... Is anyone willing to host a garage sale? If you have a garage with space, I will help coordinate donations from the rest of the team, advertising for it and organizing it. The money raised can go towards the annual fee of those that donate. Please email Kelly_Peterson@cargill.com if you have a space that can be used.
• Plan... If participating in the MS150 weekend is your lodging set? Saturday night rooms at Hinckley are all taken at this time, more may come available when the teams have to release rooms around the May timeframe. I'm taking names for Friday night at the Holiday Inn, let me know if you would like a room. Reminder that if you don't get a room you can sleep in the High Schools or Tent both nights FREE. The Truck Volunteers will haul all your gear to where it needs to be.
• Post... Use our Facebook page to ask questions, post any needs you have. etc. We have riders that are coming from out of state for the MS150 that might need a bike, tent or camping gear for the weekend, if you have this type of need let others know. If you are looking for people to carpool to Century College Friday June 9th post on this page.
• Ride... Time in the saddle is important to make the MS150 weekend more enjoyable or for those not riding in the MS150, it is nice to just get out and ride. You can see what Group Rides are scheduled on the website, the first is April 6th, weather permitting. If you want to lead any rides please email Kelly_Peterson@cargill.com. If you are looking for more group ride options, lots of bike shops schedule rides, check with them. 
• Buy... If you are looking for a different bike, check out the 20th Annual Bike Swap Meet, held at the White Bear Lake Area High School - South Campus on April 1st 11-1pm. 3551 McKnight Rd N | White Bear Lake

We have been working on a formal CBC Charter and I have posted that on our About page. I'm working on updating the MS150 pages on the website with all the new information, so keep checking back for updates.

Some Numbers for you:

• 71 days until the MS150 Weekend
• 73 riders registered to ride with team Cargill in the MS150
• Team Cargill is #2 out of 121 teams registered for our fundraising
• Team Cargill has raised $27,426.52 so far with a goal of raising an average of $1K/registered rider, so the goal changes as our ridership increases

We take a lot of pride in being one of the larger teams to participate in the MS150 event, so continue to recruit riders for this event, the more riders the more funds we raise to wipe out MS.  Thank you everyone for all your efforts, it truly makes a difference to those living with MS.

2023.03.26

Check your email, if you are looking for a hotel room in Hinckley, respond to the email. A separate email will be coming out for Friday night at the Holiday Inn. Registration for the 2023 MS150 Ride is in 75 days; discount code JOINME to get 15% off the registration fee. The fee will go up to $60 on April 17th and $70 on May 29th.

Anyone wanting to join the Cargill Bike Club, already a member or wants to register for the MS150, join us Wednesday March 29th from 4-6pm at the Mainstreet Bar and Grill for some appetizers and to meet others on the team. Everyone riding must fill out the CBC Member Form.

2023.02.23

There is still time to register for the MS150. Registration for the 2023 MS150 Ride is ; register right away to get the lowest fee and use the discount code JOINME to get 15% off the registration fee. The fee will go up to $60 on April 17th and $70 on May 29th.

Anyone wanting to join the Cargill Bike Club, already a member or wants to register for the MS150, join us Wednesday March 29th from 4-6pm at the Mainstreet Bar and Grill for some appetizers and meet others on the team.

When I receive the information about our hotel block of rooms, I will be communicating that to only the people registered for the ride. Rooms will be assigned on a first-come-first-serve basis while quantity lasts.

There is a new Cargill Bike Club  form, please everyone fill out this new form, it will be our official roster for the Cargill Bike Club.  In order to ride in the MS150 with team Cargill you need to join the Cargill Bike Club and filling out this form is your way of joining.

We already have a couple people who have volunteered to lead group rides starting in April. If anyone else is interested in leading group rides in your neck of the woods, please let me know so we can get that on our website.

Our Cargill Branding team is working on a new design for our jerseys this year, I will share it when it is ready. 

2023.01.30

Registration for the 2023 MS150 Ride is now open; register right away to get the lowest fee and use the discount code JOINME to get 15% off the registration fee. The fee will go up to $50 on Feb 6th, $60 on April 17th and $70 on May 29th.

If cycling isn’t the right fit, how about volunteering? Bike MS is only possible because of the dedicated efforts of hundreds of volunteers. Volunteer sign-up coming soon.

Kick your fundraising up a notch at the right time, and you could win special perks or prizes! Fundraising Weeks run Monday through Sunday at midnight.

Fundraising Week 1: April 3-9, 2023

• The Top Fundraising Teams in two categories (2-14 members, and 15+) will each win a Team Tent experience at Hinckley for Saturday, June 10. This guarantees a free team tent for those that don’t already have one, and a private team port-a-potty for those that do. (this would be amazing!)
• The Top Individual Fundraiser will win a special prize package.

Fundraising Week 2: May 1-7, 2023

• The Top Fundraising Teams in two categories (2-14 members, and 15+) will each win a personal team packet pick-up before the event. (we usually have a private packet pickup)
• The Top Individual Fundraiser will win a FREE 2-Queen Non-Smoking hotel room at Grand Casino Hinckley for Saturday, June 11.

Other Info:

• We already have a couple riders willing to be "Ride Leaders" and host some training rides that you can rsvp for and ride along. If you are interested in hosting a regular ride or even one ride please let me know and I'll add you to the schedule that will be on our website.
• On February 9^th, 12-3:30 PM (CST) the free interactive Virtual Program Pathways to Wellness in MS will take place. This program is for anyone affected by MS – those living with MS, family, friends, and care partners are all encouraged to attend.
• The 2023 MS 150 Jersey has been revealed! All riders who raise $1,000+ this year will receive the jersey at or after the ride.
• Bike Nights are coming soon! I'll post on our website when I get the dates and details

I look forward to this year, it was nice last year to be back to the regular two-day ride and events, this year will hopefully prove to be the real "come-back" year after the pandemic.

 So please talk to your family and friends and register before February 6th.

2022.10.22

Registration for the 2023 MS150 Ride is now open; register right away to get the lowest fee and use the discount code FIRSTWAVE. 

If you were Top Club and/or Club K fundraisers the MS Society will reach out to you with the link and your own discount codes.

Join the 2023 Kick-off Event and get 25% off registration.

2022.06.13

The Day After... Well, it was definetly a weather challenging year! In years past  maybe one day was bad weather but the other was good, mother nature was not that kind this year. For all of those that rode the full route both days, you are true champions, "WAY TO GO!!!" Our team is made up of those that ride the full 150 miles and those that ride zero but still raise money for MS, that makes all of you a champion in the eyes of a person living each day with MS, so thank you everyone.

We have 60 days before the final team fundraising totals are calculated, so if you can get any employer matches or more donations from your employers, other people that you do busines with, etc. it's not too late. As some of you may have heard the DJ naming off the top fundraising teams, Cargill was #7, which is great out of 138 teams, but could we move up to 5th or 4th? We are at $67,132.96, we had 69 registered to ride. We want to get to 300 next year so please recruit.

Each year we try and do it better. We traded in our three 12cup coffee pots for one that brews 40 cups, so coffee will be plentiful. New in 2023, look forward to a mixologist in our tent on Saturday. The hope is that next year we will have a new designed jersey for the team, if anyone is interested in helping with the jersey design, speak to me.

For 2023 let's see if we can have two or three events to raise money for the team. For example, a garage sale... the person willing to organize the event can get 10% toward their own personal fundraising and the rest would go to a Team Cargill donation. If you have ideas for fund-raising events speak to me. Let's try and do this earlier than later. Also now is the time to talk to your employers, share with them the photos from the weekend and  when we have the final numbers for money raised, see if you can lock in a donation for 2023.

Too many people to thank, but I will make my best effort...

• Patrick Welch - Our Team Logistics Lead, for your enthusasium, your assistance with the $10K team donation, your recruitment of our other logistics volunteers, your continuous improvement mindset always coming up with new great ideas to make our rider experience even better.
  
• James Deberg - Our Logistics Volunteer, you were amazing, helping with anything and everything and even asking where else you can help.
• Tony Lotton and Maeve Dwyer - Our Logistics Volunteers, thank you for managing the trucks, bikes and gear all weekend, we couldn't have done it without you and I hope you will return in 2023.
• Shawn Everhart - For your support and assistance with getting a $10K donation for the team and growing your team of riders to support the cause.
  
• Sarah Belcourt and Chuck Krogh - Our Tent Logistics Leads, for driving the truck for the weekend, loading and unloading those massive coolers with food and drink, setting up the team tent tables, snacks, games and keeping things stocked and cleaned up, you two are the best.
  
• Steve, Marcia, Joe and Mike Crist - Marcia rode in the MS150 for many years while her husband Steve has volunteered for over 12 years. This year their sons Joe and Mike were there early Saturday morning to help setup the team tent in Hinckley and were there by 5:15am on Sunday to start brewing coffee and then helping tear down, pack up and load the trucks to head to Century College.
  
• My husband Scott Peterson - Volunteering to drive all of you around all weekend on our "Cargill Cruizer" and putting up with me and my marching orders. I had no volunteers for the Century College Finish Line tent and he stuck with me all day, managing most of the food while I took photos of everyone as they crossed the finishline. Photos are on Facebook, this site has limited storage capacity for a photo album.
  
• Jo & Reino Rantila, Janine Crotty, Kurt Hillstrom, Jody & Craig Jacoby, Susie Arndt, Keith Hopkins and Alissa & Fred Gray - All of you rode 150 miles in two days in the rain and before you went home Sunday you helped me and Scott put away, packup and get out of Century College so much sooner than we would have.
  

So many people go into making riding with a team a great experience. I hope everyone had a great time, felt safe and taken care of and will join us next year. If you don't want to ride, we are always looking for volunteers.

Thank you everyone for riding and raising money to find a cure to end MS, I hope you will continue on our team, enjoy the rest of your summer.

Photos are posted on our CBC Riders Facebook, in a 2022 Ride album. If you are not on Facebook, I have also uploaded to a Google Drive album.

2022.06.07

The Ride is 0 Week 3 Days and 16 Hours away!
We are at $63,302.68 in fundraising and we have 69 riders registered. Our team is ranked 6 out of 138. 

This Friday... 

7:00am - 10:30am drop off your bikes and bags at the Cargill Office Center. I will be there until 9:00am with jerseys and team shirts if you haven't picked them up yet. I will also bring them to the team dinner.  Drop off information is this website, just click on the MS150 Tab, then click on Schedule and Friday. If you didn't attend the checkin, you need to get your packet with your Rider tags from them, I do not have them. You can get them in Proctor at the High School Friday when you get off the bus.

1:00pm the first buses will leave Century College headed for Proctor. There is not a specific bus for Cargill people, you can ride any bus you like. In past years we tried to congregate our riders in one area to all fill a bus, but the MS Society is very short on volunteers this year, so just hop the first bus you can. Rember to carpool, individuals will pay $20 for parking otherwise.

When you arrive in Proctor, our Cargill trucks will be there, grab your bags, your bike will stay locked up until Saturday morning. Either find your place in the High School, tenting in the football field or catch a shuttle to your specific hotel and relax until dinner.

6:00pm - 7:00pm Social Hour at the Holiday Inn downtown

7:00pm - 8:30pm Italian Buffet Dinner will be served with Dessert following. Myself and Patrick will cover weekend logistics and answer any questions you might have. We have a few items to auction off, so those present will get a chance at those items. Bring some cash or be prepared to venmo or paypal if you want to bid on any of the items. The money from the auction will go towards our team total for fundraising.

At the dinner I will cover the weekend logistics, so I hope everyone will try and attend. This website is your resource for all questions. Go to the MS150 tab at the top, click on Schedule and each day is there with the details.

2022.05.31

The Ride is 1 Week 4 Days and 6 Hours away!
We are at $55,732.68 in fundraising and we have 68 riders registered. Our team is ranked 5 out of 135. 

This Thursday from 5-7pm at 814 Mainstreet - Hopkins, is our team check-in, you need to have your $300 minimum raised. The MS Society will be there to give you your rider packet and I will be handing out the team jersey and shirt for our Saturday team photo. Please check out the MS150 Tab of our website and look at the Schedule link to see the timing and events for the weekend.

Friday June 10th, drop-off for your bikes and bags is from 7:00am to 10:30am - trucks leave promptly at 10:30 so please show up earlier than later. Drop-off is at the Office Center, 15407 McGinty Rd, Wayzata [back parking lot, follow signs].

2022.05.24

Update on our Fundraising Week Challenge, I said that for every $100 you raised your name would be put into a drawing for a Team Wind Jacket.  I wanted to give away 3 jackets so the winners were:  Jason Burley, Chris Enck and Nathan Miller, please let me know what size jacket you would like I only have a short supply. Extra jackets will be available for purchase at our team check-in on June 2nd for $55.  Overall, the challenge week we increased our donations by $8,175.79 and that was from 22 riders.  Thank you everyone who made an effort to fundraise this week.

2022.05.23

The Ride is 2 Weeks 4 Day and 17 Hours away!
We are at $49,207.68 in fundraising and we have 67 riders registered. Our team is ranked 5 out of 134. 

We are half way to our $100K goal, can we do it?  YES!!!  Reminder I'm having a garage sale this Thursday and Friday, all money going to the MS Society, if anyone has any items they want to donate, you can text me at 763.221.5983 and let me know and drop them off Wednesday night.

Can everyone just drop me a text and let me know how you are doing? Do you know everything you need to  know? What questions do you have?  Just text me your name and say, "I'm good to go!", I'd like to hear from everyone. If you have a large cooler you can borrow to the team for the weekend, we need coolers for our beverages, we also like to have about 10 bike pumps, if you can borrow us a cooler or bike pump please text me that.

Here are some things you might want to know... 

From the MS Society:  

When you check-in, either at our team check-in [June 2nd] or on your own (check calendar  for details of when/where) your packet will include a Bike Bib, it will be attached to your bike, a Rider Bib, this will be attached to your jersey on your back AND a wrist band. The wrist band must be worn all weekend from the time you catch the bus in Century College until you cross the finish line on Sunday. You must have your $300 minimum. You can have others check-in for you and grab your packet if your $300 minimum is met.

Friday, when you park at Century College if you are a single person vehicle you will be charged $20 for the weekene, so carpool if you can.

Saturday, nobody can get on a route before 6:30am and all must be off by 5pm, Support vehicles will bring you back if for some reason you got held up with a flat or some other issue.

From Team Cargill: 

Friday, B/bag drop-off will be at the Office Center back parking lot (check MS150 tab --> Schedule for details).

Please be kind to our volunteers that will be handling your bikes and bags all weekend. They would rather you pack in 3 smaller bags than 1 gigantic bag. Please make sure you have tags with your full name on each bag you bring.

Team Dinner at the Holiday Inn will be between 7:30-9:00pm. It will be an Italian Buffet with Dessert and a Cash Bar. You can arrive as early as 6:30 and I'll be there until 10pm or until the last person leaves.

I still have 5 rooms at the Holiday Inn if anyone needs them, call today or they will be released tomorrow.

We still could use some volunteers loading bikes Friday, and possibly picking up trucks Thursday night. If you or someone you know is interested have them reach out to Patrick at 763.458.4662. I need volunteers for Sunday at the Finish-line tent, if any family and friends want to be there to see you cross the finish-line they are welcome to join us. If they can volunteer have them message me at 763.221.5983.

Even if you have reached your $300 minimum, reach out to those that you haven't yet, let's see if we can make our fundraising goal.  I'll be looking for a text from you :)  Thank you everyone, I'm looking forward to meeting all the new riders and seeing our returning riders again.

Have you paid your Rider Fee? If you raised over $1,000 you don't have to pay this.

2022.04.27

The Ride is 6 Weeks 3 Day and 8 Hours away!
We are at $27,330.39 in fundraising and we have 63 riders registered. Our team is ranked 7 out of 127. 

Now is the time to ask those friends and family members to join our team and participate in the weekend FUN! The Week of May 2nd is a fundraising content, there will be team and individual prizes to be won. One prize that might excite you is for every $100 you raise - participants will be entered for the chance to win tickets to see Lady A at the Grand Casino Saturday night June 11th, 3 winners will win a pair of tickets.

 If you haven't setup your Facebook fundraising page yet, please do. Be ready for Monday, AND as a little added incentive... For EACH$100 you raise from 5/2 through 5/8 you will get one chance to win a team cycling jacket.

Cargill Employees, don't forget that Cargill matches donations, if you are collecting cash donate throug SPARK so you can get matching contributions. Non-Cargill riders, do your employers match? Let's try and get our minimum funds raised [$300] next week when the donations really count.

Our Cargill $1K Club Members are:

If you haven't done it yet, enter my cell # 763.221.5983 into your phone, feel free to text me any questions you have.

2022.04.06

The Ride is 9 Weeks 3 Day and 5 Hours away!
We are at $20,164 in fundraising and we have 63 riders registered. Our team is ranked 4 out of 117. So PLEASE let's talk to our friends and family and get them registered with the team this week! I will be sending out an email soon asking you to confirm if you are new and need a jersey, what size -also- shirt size for our team shirts, fingers crossed a different style this year for our team photo, so look for that email and be sure to respond.

******Willem Bastiaens is our highest fundraiser to-date with total donations of $4,013.80 Way to Go! ******

FUNDRAISING WEEK 1... This started on the 4th and goes through the 10th at Midnight. Both individual and team prizes, so let's kick up our fundraising efforts!!!

If our team wins, we will get our own private port-a-potty at our team tent Saturday.

Individual winners get a Scheel's Gift Set (20oz Yeti Tumbler, $100 Scheel's Gift Card, Sweatshirt-L)

2022.02.10

The Ride is 17 Weeks 1 Day and 10 Hours away!
We are at $7,538.80 we have 32 riders registered so far and our team is ranked 3 out of 93 for our fundraising so far.

Sounds like the event has more than 800 riders registered. I was able to get more information today about the MS150... There are 3 Minnesota rides you can participate in, the first two we have on our site, the Twin Cities Ride May 15 and the MS150 June 11-12. The other is the Ride Across Minnesota, you can find more information on the MS Society Website, this ride is 5 days with a shorter 3 day option and it is July 18-22.  There will be some Team and Individual competition weeks so look for more information about those, it will be fundraising competitions where we can win individual and team prizes.  Click on this link to take you to the Recognition, Gifts & Incentives check it out to see the Ride T-shirt, it is blue, no more white, it looks good.

We wil have a block of hotel rooms in Hinckley, most will be smoking rooms and expect higher prices per room. They still don't have a group lined up that will offer the tent setup/takedown service. You always have the free options, staying in the schools or bringing your own tent, both free options mean you bring all your own gear and setup/takedown is on you.

Those that want to only ride day one, I confirmed there will be a shuttle back to Century College Saturday around 7pm, but be sure you choose this option when you register. There is also the option to be a virtual rider, you fundraise like a regular rider and you are eligible for all the incentives, nice thing is registration is free. There will be medals for all riders that cross the finish-line.

If you're looking to rent a bike you can check with Tonka Cycle their website has rental information.

2022.02.03

The Ride is 18 Weeks 1 Day and 13 Hours away! Please recruit your family and friends to register and join you for this fun packed weekend.  Remember that you can register to ride just one day if the two day ride is more than you want to tackle this year.

So far there are 80 teams registered and we are in 1st place for highest fundraising with $6,803.80 of our goal to reach $100,000. We have one donation of $2,006.80 which is amazing.  So far 19 people are registered with the team, let's see if we can get more friends and family to join us.  More information to come, I will update on this site as I learn more about the event logistics.

Registration fees for Bike MS: Twin Cities Ride are currently at $50, and Bike MS: MS 150 are currently at $35, but they’re going up soon!  Here’s the schedule:

MS 150

• $50 on February 7
• $60 on April 18
• $70 on May 30

Twin Cities Ride

• $60 on March 22
• $70 on May 3

Ride Jersey for those that raise $1,000+

On Thursday, April 7^th The Naughty Greek on University Avenue in Minneapolis will be donating 10% of all proceeds back to the National MS Society! Mark your calendar for a great day to grab lunch to-go, have dinner with some friends, or enjoy good food however you prefer.

2021.11.08

Register with the Cargill Team using this LINK if you are new to the team use the code JOINME to save 15% on registration fee.

2021.10.25

Bike MS: MS 150 is scheduled for June 11-12, 2022, as a classic 2-day ride experience from Proctor to Century College in White Bear Lake, with an overnight at Grand Casino Hinckley. Friday, June 10^th will be a check-in and transportation day from Century College up to Proctor. Riders can also choose to ride Saturday only or participate as virtual cyclists.  

New for 2022: Bike MS Ambassador Program! This is a fabulous volunteer opportunity for all who want to support Bike MS year-round. Bike MS Ambassadors can take part in a variety of ways, including community outreach, promotion, recruitment, and more. Ambassadors receive exclusive benefits, including 25% off any Bike MS Minnesota event registration. We encourage you – and any of your team members – to join if you’re interested. If you have any questions, check out the kick-off call on November 3^rd, or reach out to Darren Josephson directly. 

More Resources: 

• Bike MS Fundraising Toolkit: featuring how to take advantage of your fundraising center, images for social media, videos about MS, details about the Bike MS app, and more!  
•  How Bike MS Works: This page is the perfect resource to share with someone new to Bike MS.
•  I Ride With MS: Know someone with MS who might like to get involved? The I Ride With MS program offers some special perks for them, including a free jersey. 
• Are you new to Bike MS, use the code JOINME when registering to save 15%

More information to come, save this site as a favorite.  I'll be getting the site updated in the next few weeks with the 2022 ride information links.

2021.05.14

The 2021 MS150 ride is a much smaller event this year, but at least it is a "real" ride. Even though we have a very small team of about 15, believe it or not we are in the "Top 10" for our fundraising. Of couse we can do better, I really hope more will sign-up and ride with Team Cargill. Reminder that there are great incentives this year for your fundraising efforts...

Packet Pick-Up Information...

• Packets must be picked up prior to the ride and you MUST have your $300 raised before you pick up your packet
• Youth riders must have a signed paper waiver on file
• As long as minimum is raised and waivers signed packets can be picked u "on behalf" of another rider
• Pick-up Option:
  • Blaine National Sports Center June 11th from 11am to 7pm [1700 - 105th Ave NE, Blaine, MN 55449]

Ride Event Schedule...

Registration Fee increases May 31st ($51 - $70) -- Registration closes on June 10th at 12pm. Fundraising Deadlines for prizes is July 12th. Top 150 Club Ranking Deadline is August 11th. We will receive an email by June 4th with our Wave Start Time.

• June 12th Start Window is [6:00am to 10am] our team will have a "wave start time"
• Light grab-and-go breakfast available
• Bike shop on-site
• Lunch will not be served along the route
• Grab-and-Go Lunch available at finish line
• Protein-packed snacks available at Rest Stop 3 on the 75-mile route
• First Aid available at rest stops and start/finish line.
• T-shirt & Jerseys available Post ride
• Route Close at 5:00pm

2021.05.12

MS150...

Riders:  15  
Donation Total:  $12,395.00

This year’s MS 150 is going to look a bit different, with a one day loop route starting and finishing at the National Sports Center in Blaine. We’re excited to share now that we have TWO official route options this year – a 73-mile loop, and a 22-mile loop. The links will be going live on the MS 150 website soon, but in the meantime you can preview the routes here and here. Slight details may be subject to change. Those riding with Team Cargill, we will all have the same start time, I would like to get a start photo of those riding. If anyone needs a jersey please talk to me so I can get you something before the ride. no matter what loop you are doing it would be great for everyone to start together. I will let everyone know what our team start time is, the start times will be staggered this year to accommodate social distancing. It is not too late to register!

MS Twin Cities...

Riders:  Logan Keith, Brad Vergin, Mo Kaidi, Alan Hayes, Scott Krieger and Stephanie Arnold. 

This weekend... Sunday, May 16^th is almost here! Though we aren’t able to gather in person this weekend, we’re so grateful to those of you taking part in the Bike MS: Twin Cities Ride and the MS movement. Thank you for riding, fundraising, and helping to move closer to a world free of MS. 

Although the event won’t be taking place in person as initially planned, the dedication shown by Twin Cities Ride cyclists has been incredible. Over 400 participants have signed up, and raised over $116,000 so far! Thank you for all you’ve done so far – and don’t forget to keep pushing! You have until June 15^th to qualify for prizes, and July 15^th for Top 25 Club rankings and rewards. If you raise $1,000, you will receive the exclusive 2021 Bike MS: Twin Cities Ride jersey! If you’re riding this weekend, remember to take pictures, share on social media, and wear your Bike MS swag.

If you’d like to ride with us in person later this summer, we’d love to have you! As long as you’ve hit your $50 minimum, you can transfer to any other ride in the country with no registration fee. One option is the 2021 Bike MS: MS 150 – this year the ride is a loop route starting and finishing in Blaine on June 12^th, with 23-mile and 75-mile options. Your fundraising will stay with the Twin Cities Ride, no matter which ride you choose. To transfer or learn more, contact Fundraising Support at fundraisingsupport@nmss.org or 855-372-1331. Please note – the free transfer option is only available for riders who were registered cyclists before the ride went virtual. 

No matter when or where you ride, you are making an impact. Funds you raise are making a difference in the lives of those affected by MS every day. The world may have thrown another wrench in the way, but MS doesn’t stop – and neither will we. 

Let’s make this a Twin Cities Ride to remember by:

• Safely gathering with our team or smaller teams to commemorate ride weekend and sharing pictures using #bikeMS.
• Posting on the 2021 Bike MS: Twin Cities Ride Facebook Page! As you get out and about, share how and why you’re riding.

Thank you again for your dedication to the MS movement - happy riding!

2021.03.15

Registration for Bike MS: MS 150 is now OPEN! Just wanted to share the latest updates I have on the ride. Like previous years there will be fully-stocked rest stops every 10-12 miles. They are going to NOT offer a lunch at one of the stops but instead provide more protein packed snacks at each of the stops. All snacks will be packaged and hand sanitizers will be readily available.

Team Fundraising Week is April 4-10, teams that raise the most during this week win a special prize.

Individual Fundraising Week is May 2-8, riders who raise the most this week will win an exclusive prize.

Stay up-to-date with event details by marking yourself as "going" on the MS 150 Facebook Event Page. The MS Society will be using this page for event updates, recognition and more.

Since this is a one-day event ride, there is no lodging being coordinated, if any rider wants to spend the night they would need to make their own accomodations.  After the ride there will be buses to take you back to Century College or you can coordinate your own ride back to Century College. They will have more buses to allow for social distancing.

As I learn more I will post here. I've asked how the bikes will get back to Century College, about food, finishline tents, live music, etc.

2021.01.12

Registration for Bike MS: MS 150 is now OPEN! Registration is only $21 right now, so make sure you register early to take advantage of the lowest price of the year.

The Bike MS: MS 150 will be held on June 12, 2021 as a one-day ride. The MS Society believes that in making this change, they can continue with planning a safe, fun, and successful in-person event. See more about Bike Safety and Covid-19 here.

Exact details of what the one-day event will look like, is still being determined but it will start in White Bear Lake and end in Hinckley. It doesn’t sound like there will be any lodging coordination, if there will be any end of ride event in Hinckley that is still be worked out.

IMPORTANT! 

BIG NEWS that I know you’ll all be excited about – Bike MS has upgraded their fundraising platform and they’re excited to present a more robust and user-friendly fundraising platform to you this year. Upon registration, you will have the opportunity to set-up your new fundraising account. In order to get ready, you will want to log into your current account from 2020 and take the following steps:

1. Download your donor list and contacts from your 2020 fundraising center.
2. Copy and paste your customized story from your fundraising page and/or team page into a document.
3. Copy and paste your customized email content if you updated your email center into a document.
4. Save any photos you have used in your participant/team page

I’ll keep you posted as I learn more, thanks everyone. I’m looking forward to a great 2021 ride with you!

2020.12.29

• Final post of the 2020 year...  I'm hopeful that the rides in 2021 will NOT be virtual.  You can register for the Twin Cities Ride HERE. This is a great ride to help prepare for the MS150, I hope you will join the team, more specifics will be shared as the ride gets closer.
• Tell us about yourself by completing this form...
  Cargill Bike Club Information Form (if you are not riding in any organized rides but want to be on the team still fill out this form)
• The link to register for the MS150 should be live within the next few weeks, I will post here as soon as it is live.

2020.10.05

• Six months in a pandemic, who would have thought this would be our reality back in April? I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy and enjoying the beautiful fall weather. I'm working at getting information updated for the 2021 season, so check back later to see what is new.
• Even though our 2020 ride was a virtual one, our team was amazing as ever. We had 121 registered virtual riders. Out of 150 teams we were #4. Our team raised an amazing $56,724.02 to change the world for people with MS.  Our top two "FABULOUS FUNDRAISERS" were Robert Nelson with $6,528.86 and Willem Bastiaens with $4,038.61 you two do such a great job, I hope you will speak at the 2021 dinner and share all your fundraising tips with the team.
• Mark your calendars for next year, let's hope for the return to normal and we will all be in person.  The dates are June 11 - 13, 2021. More info will be posted as the event gets closer.

2020.04.27

• The MS 150 | Team Progress page I added some instructions for Cargill Employees that are looking to have their donations matched through SPARK. If a Cargill employee donates, have them donate through SPARK to increase their donation amount by 50%. i.e. If they donate $100 then Cargill throws in $50.

2020.04.16

• The MS 150 ride for 2020 is a virtual ride, it just mean we will not be getting together in-person at any point on the ride weekend.
• So what can you do for the 2020 MS Ride?
  • Register for the ride, the virtual ride has a $0 registration fee and a $0 fundraising minimum, there is also no age limit for a rider so if you have a 5 year old that rides with you, this year they can join the team, so sign them up! Your significant other, your friend, anyone who rides a bike, we could actually have 400 riders this year no problem.
  • Join our Strava CBC Riders club and when you ride you will be putting your miles towards your own 150 mile goal and our teams total mile goal (more to come)
    • Some of us are more competitive than others and that is fine, if competition is your thing then feel free to setup some friendly competition for miles through the App.
  • The MS Society will be holding a virtual event on the ride weekend, more to come later
  • If you paid a registration fee for 2020, contact fundraisingsupport@nmss.org and you can have them apply your registration fee towards your personal fundraising total, donations are tax exempt.
  • If you made any personal lodging reservations be sure to contact them to cancel
  • Prizes and incentives are still based on fundraising totals, if you are collecting the MS Society jerseys that have the different images on them of the event remember to earn one the goal is $1K.
  • Fundraising is up to the individual and what you feel comfortable doing, one captain said his team is bringing back asking people to donate based on how many miles they ride, Maybe someone is willing to donate 5 cents a mile up to 500 miles, that is a $25 donation. The MS Society extended the time period, we have until September 10^th to fund-raise for any of the prizes and incentives.
    • Cargill employees that want to donate, please do so through SPARK so your donation can be matched
    • Riders from other companies don’t forget to utilize your matching programs if you have them

2020.04.10

The MS Society has made a decision that due to the ongoing pandemic, the 2020 MS 150 will be a virtual event. There is a captain's meeting next week and I will have an update for all the registered riders after that meeting. Obviously the MS Society is a non-profit and this event is one of their largest fundraisers of the year and it is definitely going to take a hit. Some of our riders may be financially impacted by the pandemic either lose of job or reduction in work. Some riders might be financially supporting other very worthwhile causes right now helping supply funds to assist with the pandemic. As the captain I will not be pressuring any rider to fund-raise this year for the MS 150, for those that can get donations or want to donate, that is up to you. 

What I will offer is for those that are registered and have paid their rider fee, we will have a ride this fall (pandemic willing) on the Dakota Trail with a team picnic, more information about this as the time gets closer. We will also schedule some rides when social distancing is finished. Any rider that wants to lead some rides please contact me. ~Kelly

2020.03.11

Lodging:  Hotel room availability has always been a challenge because the team is allotted so many rooms from the MS Society. Anyone interested in a hotel room either Friday or Saturday night needs to note that in their Rider Information Form. There is a change this year for Saturday night in Hinckley, our block of rooms is NOT at the Grand Casino Hotel instead it is a mile down the road at the Grand Northern Inn. There are shuttles that run continuously throughout the day to this hotel. We do plan on having a team golf cart as well that might be making runs over to the hotel regularly.  If this changes your preference for a hotel room please go into the Rider Information Form and edit your lodging preferences. Next week I will let all those interested know if they have a room reserved or not. If you do not get a room then you will need to look into the other options available, see the Lodging page.

Rider Jerseys: Just a reminder that we are using the same jerseys as the 2019 ride, the 2020 riders that didn't ride last year will get a free jersey, if your rode last year you will not be getting a new jersey. Additional jerseys to accommodate the new riders will be ordered in April, so please get your friends and family to register sooner than later so we can know what sizes I need to order.

2020.01.31

Bike Nights offer 25% discount on registration for any of the four Upper Midwest rides (Twin Cities Ride, MS 150, Iowa Ride and Ride Across Minnesota), if you go to the events. These are a great way to connect with other riders, get some Bike MS swag and meet some of the MS Society staff. Most nights have drink and/or appetizer specials too. See our Calendar page, one is coming up Feb 4th.