After three years of trekking nearly 500 miles down the California coast, the fourth installment of Bike For Hope switches to the East Coast and the Blue Ridge Mountains in South Carolina from Aug. 18-22.
Approximately 18 riders have signed on for the event, which originates at Hotel Domestique, owned by longtime U.S. cyclist George Hincapie, who served as a domestique for several winners of the Tour de France. Proceeds from the event, which raised $60,000 last year and $180,000 in its first three years, go to City of Hope, a worldwide leader in the research of cancer, diabetes and other serious diseases.
Bike For Hope is supported by a number of industry/technology sponsors, including Supplies Network, HP, Dell, 3M, S.P.Richards and Brother. Bill Erpelding, the director of marketing for Supplies Network, took the lead in organizing the event and selecting the new venue. In addition to his work with the previous Bike events, Erpelding was instrumental in organizing the Ski For Hope fundraiser this past February in Vail, Colorado. That event also raised in the neighborhood of $60,000.
The change in venues was designed to attract more participants, according to Erpelding. A five-day, 500-mile trek down the scenic California coast had its limitations; for anyone other than a diehard cyclist, it was a grueling commitment. Logistically, if someone wanted to do only half of the point-to-point ride, it would be difficult to find reasonable airport access between Palo Alto/San Jose and Los Angeles, the headquarters of HP and City of Hope, respectively.
Changes for 2019
Hincapie’s Hotel Domestique offers several mapped-out routes that Bike For Hope will be using on this four-day excursion. Participants can choose between a long route, which will vary between 80 and 100 miles each day, and a moderate route of 25 to 35 miles. Each circuit concludes at the starting point, and cyclists can choose to ride as many of the four days as they wish.
“We were having lots of interest from casual cyclists who wanted to participate, but they thought the 500-mile journey was too hard for them to tackle,” Erpelding explained. “We’re now offering alternatives for folks who might not have time to prepare for a 500-mile ride by offering a shorter route. This makes it easier for folks to participate.”
The ride is still quite challenging (“bring your climbing legs,” Erpelding said). Hincapie chose the region as his own personal training ground, with Alpine-
Cancer has touched the Supplies Network family. Erpelding’s mother lost her four-year battle with the disease in 2018 and David Concors, vice president of sales, lost his sister only a few weeks later. City of Hope is one of the leaders in cancer research, but it has also made great strides in the treatment of other diseases such as diabetes.
Supporting Hope
“It would be hard to find anyone who doesn’t have a friend, family or loved one who hasn’t experienced cancer,” Erpelding said. “City of Hope has developed numerous drugs used in many protocols now. They have led the way on many fronts with cancer research, and many things developed by them are used throughout the world to save lives. It’s a very worthy charity in my mind.”
There is still time to participate or make a donation to one of the riders. Visit the Bike For Hope website to make a donation or to learn more. You can also email Erpelding to find out more details or participate.
