Let s ride. June 6 8, Online fundraising pg. 6 Fundraising clubs pg. 8 Check-in and event details pg. 12 Overnight details pg.

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1 2008 ISSUE THE OFFICIAL BIKE MS RIDER MAGAZINE Let s ride Jue 6 8, 2008 Olie fudraisig pg. 6 Fudraisig clubs pg. 8 Check-i ad evet details pg. 12 Overight details pg. 18 MS 150 Ride 2008 Route ifo pg. 19 Bike shop coupos pg. 29, 31 ad 33

2 Dear Cyclists: Mauree Reeder Photo by Kim Morris I wat to persoally thak you for registerig for the Bike MS: Larki Hoffma MS 150 Ride. I rode my first Bike MS ride more tha 20 years ago ad I m sure you will agree, they are the best cyclig evets Miesota has to offer. But Bike MS is so much more tha a great ride. It s a movemet to build a world free of MS. This magazie will help you with your ext steps, fudraisig ad traiig. Thaks to people like you, the Natioal MS Society, Miesota Chapter is able to provide help ad hope to the estimated 9,000 people with MS i Miesota ad wester Wiscosi. We re gaiig mometum ad we re movig forward fast toward a world free of MS. Thaks for joiig the movemet. See you i Jue! Mauree Reeder Presidet Natioal MS Society, Miesota Chapter Early ad ogoig treatmet with a FDA-approved therapy ca make a differece for people with multiple sclerosis. Lear about your optios by talkig to your health care professioal ad cotactig the Natioal MS Society at

3 What s Iside Where the moey goes 4 About the MS Society 5 Fudraisig 6 Fudraisig clubs 8 Prizes 9 Teams 10 Check-i ad evet details 12 Miors o the evet 14 Packig list 16 Hotels 17 Overight details 18 Rest stops ad route iformatio 19 Route support 20 Cyclig Safety 22 Traiig 24 Traiig ride schedule 25 Rookie rider tips 26 Sposors 27 Bike shop coupos 29, 31, 33 Voluteers top fudraisers 32 Receipts 34 Deposit slips 35 Natioal MS Society, Miesota Chapter th Ave. S. Mieapolis, MN bikems.org

4 4 Where the moey goes The Natioal MS Society, Miesota Chapter is a oprofit orgaizatio that meets the stadards of all major charity review agecies. More tha 75 percet of every dollar is spet o programs ad support services for people affected by multiple sclerosis ad MS-related research. Your geerous cotributio moves research closer to a cure ad helps people with MS ad their families, frieds ad care parters move their lives forward. Your doatio of $50 will help to sed much-eeded iformatio to people ewly diagosed with MS ad their families. $100 will help someoe with MS atted the Capitol Coferece to meet their legislators ad advocate for improved quality of livig for people with MS. $200 will help to provide oe-o-oe couselig for people ewly diagosed with MS. $300 will help a couple atted the Couple s Getaway to lear about maagig the challeges MS brigs to their relatioship. $400 will help sed a child whose paret or close relative has MS to Youth Camp ad share fu experieces with other kids who uderstad the challeges of livig with MS i their families. $750 will help people with MS pay for chore services to assist with tasks they ca o loger hadle because of the disease, like laudry or shovelig the driveway. $1,000 will help cover the costs of home modificatios ad accessible equipmet to keep a perso with MS livig idepedetly i their home. $2,000 will provide a scholarship to help a youg perso affected by MS pursue a college educatio. Together we are movig toward a commo goal to ed MS. Util a cure is foud, your exceptioal fudraisig efforts will help people with MS move their lives forward ad will help us cotiue providig importat programs, services, research ad advocacy.

5 5 Meaig i every mile Multiple sclerosis iterrupts the flow of iformatio betwee the brai ad the body ad stops people from movig. We believe movig is ot just somethig you ca or ca t do, but that movig forward is who we are. Just by beig here, you are coected to the potetial, the hope, the mometum of it all. With the help of people like you, the Natioal MS Society addresses the challeges of each perso whose life is affected by MS ad helps them stay coected to the great big movig world. We fud more MS research, provide more services to people with MS, offer more professioal educatio ad further more advocacy efforts tha ay other MS orgaizatio i the world. The society is dedicated to achievig a world free of MS. We are people who wat to do somethig about MS ow. The Miesota Chapter represets a estimated 9,000 people with MS i Miesota ad wester Wiscosi. We provide coutless resources for people livig with MS ad their families, frieds ad care parters, icludig: Getaways ad camps to offer a opportuity for fu, relaxatio ad friedship More tha 65 support ad couselig groups Iformatio ad referral services Educatioal programs about research, treatmets, symptom maagemet ad more Exercise ad welless programs Programs for youth ad tees who have a paret or relative with MS Social ad educatioal opportuities for care parters, frieds ad families of people with MS Fiacial assistace for medical equipmet purchases, home/auto modificatio, emergecies, chore services ad care parter relief Advocacy efforts for legislatio o MS-related issues Bike MS Champios Every hour of every day, someoe is diagosed with multiple sclerosis. Every year, people like you come together to ride ad fudraise to move us closer to a world free of MS. Bike MS Champios strives to coect people livig with multiple sclerosis with evet participats to foster educatio, gratitude ad, most importatly, hope. Both are champios i our eyes! Durig the Bike MS: Larki Hoffma MS 150 Ride participats will wear badaas siged by people with MS. Champios are ecouraged to coect with each other before the evet ad to meet durig the evet at the Hope Tet. Champios may eve choose to cotiue the relatioship after the evet.

6 6 Olie tools make fudraisig fast, simple Ivite frieds ad family to pledge you olie ad quickly reach your fudraisig goals with miimal effort. How it works Everyoe who registers for Bike MS gets a Participat Ceter, the olie hub for maagig olie fudraisig efforts. From the Participat Ceter, you ca edit your Persoal Page, the Web page that your frieds ad family see, sed s to doors, maage your campaig ad, for team captais, follow your team s progress. To get to your Participat Ceter, log i to your Bike MS evet ad click o Participat Ceter. At your Participat Ceter homepage, you will be prompted to: 1. Update your Persoal Page It s easy to chage the layout, colors ad story ad to upload pictures to your Persoal Page. Make it about you ad your frieds ad family will make geerous doatios! You ca eve keep a blog o your Persoal Page where you ca post topics. Frieds ad family ca pledge you ad add their thoughts to your commets. 2. Sed s to frieds ad family askig for their support You ca easily import cotacts ito your Address Book from other applicatios such as Microsoft Outlook, AOL or Yahoo!Mail by followig step-by-step istructios. Or you ca add them maually. I just a few clicks you ca select ad sed a appeal for support or a thak you . Use a prewritte or write your ow. Simply ope a message from the Suggested Messages list. Your ame, address, subject lie ad body text areas will already be filled i. Chage it as you like ad click sed. 3. Fudraise olie Track your idividual, ogoig fudraisig progress Update your fudraisig goal View reports o your team members cotributios Sed follow-up messages ad thak you s to your supporters

7 7 Fudraisig ideas ad tips Set up a Web page ad fudraise olie. It is easy ad pays off. Olie fudraisers raise eve more moey tha people who use traditioal methods aloe. Do t forget to pledge yourself to set a good example. Set a goal! Make it lofty, but attaiable, ad pledge yourself. This will help motivate your teammates ad people who doate to you. Host a free doughuts ad bagels breakfast at your office or place of worship. Set up the goodies i high traffic areas ad ask for doatios. This is low key ad requires little effort. Sometimes local bakeries will doate the goods! Have mothly team challeges for your teammates. Prizes ca be small items like ew socks, suscree, etc. This will work for both fudraisig ad recruitig. Have a mow-a-tho, rake-a-tho, whatevera-tho i your eighborhood. Offer to mow, rake leaves, etc., for a doatio. This is a great way to ivolve the etire family or team. Set up a doatio jar or evet iformatio at your desk. If you are participatig i hoor of someoe, get their permissio to iclude their photo ad/ or story i your pledge letters, Web page, etc. If you are o a corporate team, get the etire office ivolved. Have the compay doate days off or casual days for doatios. Hold spiig cotests i your office foyer to recruit doatios ad teammates. Use your compay s matchig gifts program! Host a luch-ad-lear at your office ad ivite MS staff to atted. Fudraisig does ot have to be scary. You are participatig i a worthwhile ad importat cause. Ethusiasm is cotagious, so spread yours today. Visit MSsociety.org for sample pledge letters ad more fudraisig tips. Remember: People ca t say yes util you ask!

8 8 Fudraisig clubs Get movig ad you ca joi a prestigious Bike MS club. The pride you will feel kowig what a differece your efforts make i the lives of people with MS will amaze you. The more moey you raise, the more perks you receive! Golde Gears Club Raise $1,000, joi the Golde Gears Club Tur i or pledge $1,000 the day of the evet ad there will be special perks for you at the evet ad recogitio throughout the year. Just imagie if you asked everyoe you kow for $50 oly 20 people eed to accept, ad you ve met your goal. 1. Free registratio 2. Express check-i 3. Reserved port-o-potties VIP Club Raise $3,000, joi the VIP Club If you raise $3,000, we re ot oly goig to give you all the perks of beig i the Golde Gears Club, but you ll gai access to our VIP tet for you ad a guest, alog with other perks. You will also be ivited to the Sylvies Nov. 22, The Sylvies is the MS Society s big evet to celebrate ad recogize all top fudraisers, voluteers, sposors ad doors. Set your fudraisig goal high ad watch for your ivitatio. 1. All of the rewards of the Golde Gears Club 4. VIP tet ivite + oe guest 2. VIP Jersey i your iaugural year 5. Recogitio o route 3. Special parkig 6. Ivitatio to the Sylvies Missio Stars Club Raise $9,000, joi the Missio Stars Club 4. Rest stop perks 5. Special recogitio 6. Golde Gears Club jersey i your iaugural year ad a star to add to your jersey every year after This is the big ticket. If you raise $1 for each of the estimated 9,000 people with MS i Miesota ad wester Wiscosi, you re ot oly goig to get all the perks of the Golde Gears ad VIP Club, but you will be spoiled o the evet with treats ad recogized throughout the year. 1. All of the rewards for Golde Gears ad VIP Clubs 2. Rest stop i your hoor 3. Missio Stars Club fleece vest i your iaugural year 4. O-stage recogitio ad globe presetatio at the Sylvies Tour of Champios For oe, raise $9,000; for two, raise $15,000 ad choose the Tour of Champios The Tour of Champios is a great witer getaway for the Natioal MS Society s top fudraisers. Ejoy four days of sightseeig ad ew advetures while formig lastig friedships with other MS evet participats. Raise $15,000 or more ad brig a guest. 1. Airfare from the Mieapolis/St. Paul Airport; groud trasportatio provided 2. Hotel accommodatios (double occupacy)

9 9 Prize structure Gift certificates Best Buy gift certificates may be used i stores, catalogs or olie. Bike shop certificates ca oly be redeemed at oe of the followig: Bicycle Chai, Bokoo Bikes, Couty Cycle, Erik s Bike Shop, Freewheel Bike, Gateway Bike, Get You Gear Outfitters, Maple Grove Cyclig & Fitess, Pe Cycle, The Bike ad Fitess Compay ad Toka Cycle. The pledge deadlie is July 11, Tur i at least $500 i pledges by the July 11 pledge deadlie ad you may receive a gift certificate from either a sposorig bike shop or Best Buy or choose a Bike MS: Larki Hoffma MS 150 Ride 2008 jersey plus a gift certificate. Extra-milers Take your support of our missio to the ext level. Each year, the chapter purchases prizes ad icetives for evet participats to reward them for their fudraisig efforts. May of our participats have geerously waived or doated their prizes back to the Natioal MS Society to eve further their support of our work to help create a world free of multiple sclerosis. Thak you for your geerosity! You will receive special recogitio o the Web site. Prize selectios are part of the waiver process ad must be tured i at check-i. Raise $500 ad choose from a $50 bike shop OR $35 Best Buy gift certificate OR a jersey OR become a Extra-miler Golde Gears Level See Page 8 for the perks! Raise $1,000 ad choose from a $100 bike shop OR $75 Best Buy gift certificate OR a gift certificate AND jersey (gift certificate will be $50 less) OR become a Extra-miler Raise $2,000 ad choose from a $175 bike shop OR $150 Best Buy gift certificate OR a gift certificate AND jersey (gift certificate will be $50 less) OR become a Extra-miler VIP Level See Page 8 for the perks! Raise $3,000 ad choose from a $250 bike shop OR $200 Best Buy gift certificate OR a gift certificate AND jersey (gift certificate will be $50 less) OR become a Extra-miler Raise $5,000 ad choose from a $400 bike shop OR $350 Best Buy gift certificate OR a gift certificate AND jersey (gift certificate will be $50 less) OR become a Extra-miler Raise $7,500 ad choose from a $600 bike shop OR $500 Best Buy gift certificate OR a gift certificate AND jersey (gift certificate will be $50 less) OR become a Extra-miler Missio Stars Level See Page 8 for the perks! Raise $9,000 ad choose from a $800 bike shop OR $700 Best Buy gift certificate OR a gift certificate AND jersey (gift certificate will be $50 less) OR receive the Tour of Champios trip for oe OR become a Extra-miler Raise $15,000+ ad choose from a $1,200 bike shop OR $1,000 Best Buy gift certificate OR a gift certificate AND jersey (gift certificate will be $50 less) OR receive the Tour of Champios trip for two OR become a Extra-miler The MS Society thaks Best Buy TM ad all bike shops for providig a portio of our prizes. The MS Society purchases a portio of all prizes. Prizes are based o moey tured i by July 11, 2008 ad the prize selected whe you check i. Prizes are ot cumulative. Prizes may ot be redeemed for cash. Participats are resposible for payig taxes o all prizes. We reserve the right to substitute prizes of equal or greater value. Riders requestig a jersey after the evet are ot guarateed to receive oe. Each rider is required to collect ad submit a $300 pledge miimum. Due to the value of the gift certificates, they will be mailed after the evet after all doatios are processed ad etered ito the database. Pledges received from o-participats are 100 percet deductible. For participats, pledges over $78.50 are deductible for federal icome tax purposes. Sposorship of society fudraisig evets does ot coote that the Natioal Multiple Sclerosis Society recogizes superiority i products or services provided by the sposorig etity over other etities providig like or similar products or services.

10 10 TEAM UP to Joi the Movemet! Did you kow that early 86 percet of cyclists i the Bike MS: Larki Hoffma MS 150 Ride participate as part of a team? That meas this year you will joi more tha 2,500 team members dedicated to creatig a world free of MS. What makes a team? It oly takes four or more like-mided people to joi together ad form a team. Teams come i all shapes ad sizes, aywhere from four to 400 people. Why form a team? Because joiig the movemet is more fu with others aroud! Plus, you ca ear some really great prizes, icludig team tets, easy check-i, team competitios ad more. Formig a team is easy Desigate a team captai, make up a fu team ame, ad whe you register olie for the Bike MS: Larki Hoffma MS 150, choose the optio Create a ew team. Whe registerig for the evet, team captais must register first. This is your opportuity to ejoy a great ride with frieds ad family members, bod with your co-workers, boost office morale ad receive some great team perks. Recruit a team ad joi the movemet!

11 11 Joi us i Tet Village! Ay team (frieds ad family or corporate) with four or more members that raises more tha $25,000 will get to relax i their ow team tet! This is a great way to promote your team ad highlight your accomplishmets. Wat to joi us i Tet Village, but your team has t reached $25,000 i fudraisig? You ca ret your ow team tet through the MS Society. For more iformatio about team programs or icetives, cotact the team staff today. Ae Geisler ageisler@mssociety.org Kris va Osabrugge kvaosabrugge@mssociety.org Corporate teams Beefits of formig a corporate team: Help the estimated 9,000 people livig with MS i Miesota ad wester Wiscosi ad 400,000 atiowide Build compay morale Successfully market your compay to core cosumer audieces attach your ame to a well respected cause Commuity ivolvemet makes good busiess sese Our evets promote healthy livig ad exercise, which i tur makes healthier employees Thousads of people will see how your compay supports its employees Ejoy great team perks ad icetives Form your corporate team today! I 2007 corporate-supported Bike MS: Larki Hoffma MS 150 teams raised early $1 millio We eed you to joi the movemet ad help us move toward a world free of MS For more iformatio about corporate teams, call

12 12 Ride details ad check-i procedures Gettig to the start site Natioal Sports Ceter, Blaie NOTE: I order to maitai good traffic flow we ask that you please follow the directios below to get to the Natioal Sports Ceter. From the Twi Cities I-35W orth to Couty Road 52/95 Aveue N.E. (exit 32). Left oto 95 Aveue N.E., road turs ito Radisso Road. Left oto 105 Aveue N.E. You will be directed at the etrace to the appropriate parkig area. Proctor High School, Proctor From the Twi Cities I-35W orth to Boudary Aveue (exit 249). Left o Boudary Aveue, Couty Road 14. Left o U.S. Highway 2. Left o Secod Street. High school will be i frot of you o the itersectio of Secod Street ad Nith Aveue. How do I check i? Riders have three locatios to choose from whe checkig i for Bike MS: Pre-check-i at the MS Society office, Blaie or Proctor. At the time you check i, you will tur i ay moey you have collected i a pledge evelope alog with your siged waiver ad prize selectio sheet. Note: Riders uder 18 years of age have additioal requiremets that eed to be fulfilled prior to the evet. Please see the miimum age requiremet sectio o page 14. You will receive your rider packet that icludes your wristbad, which must be wor all weeked, your bike tag ad two luggage tags with your rider umber o them. You ll also receive your evet T-shirt at check-i. Pre-check-i: Thursday, May 29 (3 to 8 p.m.) Come to the MS Society office Thursday, May 29, betwee 3 ad 8 p.m. to receive your rider packet ad evet T-shirt. (Check-i does ot begi util 3 p.m., please do ot come early ad expect to check i.) Pre-check-i will save you time whe you arrive for the weeked sice you wo t eed to check i Friday or Saturday.

13 13 Blaie check-i: Friday, Jue 6 (1 to 7 p.m.) Busses will leave cotiuously durig check-i. The first bus will be departig shortly after 1 p.m. Geeral check-i will be i the Schwa s Ceter Ballroom at the Natioal Sports Ceter. If you have raised $1,000 or more, please go to the Golde Gears/VIP/Missio Stars check-i. As you arrive to the check-i site, you will be directed by parkig voluteers to the appropriate area. Missio Stars, VIP ad Golde Gears members will have received their parkig permits i the mail ad should preset those to the voluteers to be directed to your preferred parkig areas. If you have already received your rider packet, you have already checked i, please put your bike umber o your bike ad brig it to the bike loadig area (look for semis i the parkig lot). If you have ot checked i, please leave your bike ad luggage i your vehicle ad go ito the Schwa s Ceter to complete your check-i. Mark your bike with your umber ad move toward the bike loadig area to get your bike o a truck. Oce your bike is loaded, you ll carry your luggage to the bus loadig area. Please be aware that to facilitate bus loadig, we try to fill each bus before allowig it to depart. If you are travelig with a group, please make sure all your group members are together before boardig. Proctor check-i: Saturday, Jue 7 (6 to 8 a.m.) Check-i is located iside Proctor High School. Eter the buildig through door five located o the east side back of the school. Oce you ve received your rider packet, you ca brig your luggage to the luggage loadig area, put it o the appropriate trucks ad head with your bike dow to the bike corral. At the bike corral there will be water ad Gatorade statios ad bike shop mechaics earby for your last miute eeds. After you re fully hydrated, feel free to start out o the route. Breakfast will be served from 5:30 to 8 a.m. i the school cafeteria. If you have ay additioal pledges that you collect after the weeked, you may tur them i to the MS Society office util the pledge deadlie of July 11, 2008.

14 14 NEW! Miimum age requiremet The MS Society has implemeted a ew miimum age requiremet policy for Bike MS evets. The followig requiremets must be met prior to participatig i a Bike MS evet: Paret/legal guardia must speak with MS Society staff about the society s overall positio regardig safety ad participatio by youg childre i MS Society evets. All riders uder the age of 18 must have a otarized waiver ad release form o file with a paret/legal guardia sigature. The release ackowledges the society s policy ad accepts full resposibility for the welfare of their child. The adult-child ratio for 12- to 17-year-old riders must be at least 1:3 (resposible adult must be at least 21 years of age). The adult-child ratio for riders uder 12 must be 1:1 (resposible adult must be at least 21 years of age). All riders uder the age of 18 must complete the followig traiig steps with a paret or legal guardia: review of safety brochure; ad review of youth rider flier. No trailers or carriers allowed o the route. Tag-alogs are allowed. Trasportig your bike If you are takig the bus from Blaie to Proctor Friday afteroo, your bike will be trasported to the destiatio o trucks. For those riders who live ear Proctor ad are takig the returig bus Suday afteroo, your bikes will also be trasported i a separate truck. All bike umbers should be o your bike prior to loadig oto a truck. Please remember the semi s umber (1, 2, 3, etc.) to make locatig your bike i Proctor as easy as possible. We use care while loadig the bicycles, but feel free to wrap your bike for its protectio. Pipe isulatio works very well for this purpose. Also, please remove ay items that may fall off your bike durig trasport (mirrors, water bottles, etc.). All bikes will be uloaded from the trucks ad placed i the bike corral for easy idetificatio i the morig. Whe upackig your bike, please dispose of your wrappig i the appropriate garbage boxes.

15 15 Luggage Each rider is allowed two pieces of luggage for the duratio of the evet. These two pieces iclude campig gear (if eeded) ad clothig for the weeked. You will receive two luggage tags with your rider umber at check-i. Be sure to affix them to your luggage before boardig the bus. You will load your luggage udereath the buses i Blaie o Friday. Whe you arrive at Proctor, you ca take it directly to your desired campsite or shuttle bus to the hotels i the area. Saturday ad Suday morig we will have luggage trucks ad voluteers available to assist you i loadig your luggage oto the trucks for the day. These trucks will trasport all luggage to our destiatio site ad will uload it whe they arrive. Fid your luggage by lookig i the rows that correspod to your rider umber. Showers Showers are available i the locker rooms at both Proctor High School ad Hickley High School. Shower trucks will be available at Grad Casio Hickley. Showers will also be available Suday afteroo at the Natioal Sports Ceter, Schwa s Super Rik. Weather Bike MS evets will go o rai or shie. We will aouce the most up to date weather coditios each eveig of a overight evet. Official weather reports provided by DTN. Please seek shelter immediately if you ecouter severe weather while ridig. Meals All riders receive breakfast, luch ad dier Saturday ad Suday. Meals will be served at our overight site Saturday at Grad Casio Hickley ad at the fiish lie at the Natioal Sports Ceter i Blaie Suday. How should I collect my pledges? All the doatios you ve received i perso (cash or checks) should go ito the pledge evelope that you ll receive i your fial mailig i late May. Olie doatios are automatically recorded, which could save you time ad effort trackig dow checks ad cash doatios. Feel free to tur i pledges as you receive them. To tur i pledges, just drop off or mail your pledges to the MS Society, th Ave. S, Mieapolis, MN Please iclude your ame, address ad evet ame whe sedig i your pledges or use deposit slip o Page 35. If you receive a check as a doatio, please have the check made out to the Natioal MS Society. Please also make sure your full ame ad ID umber is writte o the check s memo lie. This is how our office makes sure the moey gets credited to the correct accout. You will have util the July 11, 2008 pledge deadlie to tur i ay doatios that trickle i after the evet. The Proctor varsity hockey team will host a fudraisig dier Friday at the high school for a small fee. The MS Society will provide breakfast i Proctor from 5:30 to 8 a.m. i the school cafeteria.

16 16 Packig list Each rider is allowed two packed bags. This icludes ay campig items, tets, coolers, etc. Luggage items have a weight limit of 35 pouds. If you have trouble carryig it, lighte the load. Thik of the voluteers that are already loadig ad uloadig more tha 6,000 bags. Please label your items with the luggage tags you receive at check-i. Your rider umber is prited o them. Check-i materials q Siged waiver (Note Riders uder 18 years of age have additioal requiremets that eed to be fulfilled prior to the evet. Please see the Miimum Age Requiremet sectio o Page 14.) q Completed prize selectio sheet (o back of waiver) q Completed pledge evelope If you have already tured i all of your pledges, you still eed to tur i a completed pledge evelope whe you check i to assist with trackig participats. Please do ot brig pledge sheets. Cyclig gear q Bicycle with rider umber attached q Helmet (required) q Two water bottles q Spare tubes ad patch kits q Mii-air pump q Tool kit/repair kit q Rearview mirror q Cyclig shoes q Padded cyclig shorts q Rai gear q First aid kit Persoal items q Clothes for Saturday ight q Toiletries q Medicatios (pai reliever, prescriptios) q Suscree ad lip balm q Isect repellat q Suglasses q Flashlight q Towel ad washcloth q Idetificatio cards (drivers licese, isurace cards) q Spedig moey q Camera q Garbage bags (use them to lie your bag i case of rai) Campig/sleepig gear (if desired) q Waterproof tet q Sleepig bag q Sleepig pad or air mattress q Small pillow q Sleepig mask q Ear plugs

17 17 Hotels The MS Society will provide shuttles to ad from the followig hotels: Duluth/Proctor Shuttle busses ru Friday, Jue 6, (util 11 p.m.) ad Saturday, Jue 7, (6 to 8 a.m.). AmericI, Proctor or Best Wester, dowtow Duluth or Caal Park Lodge, Caal Park or Comfort I West, or Coutry Is & Suites, Proctor or Hampto I, Caal Park or HAMPTON Holiday I, dowtow Duluth or I o Lake Superior, Caal Park or Red Roof I (formerly Spirit Moutai Lodge), Proctor or Super 8, dowtow Duluth or For more iformatio about our overight tows, call the Duluth Visitor s Bureau at DULUTH or the Hickley Visitor s Bureau at or the North Brach Chamber of Commerce at Hickley/North Brach Shuttle busses ru Saturday, Jue 7, (oo to 10 p.m.) ad Suday, Jue 8, (6 to 8 a.m.) i Hickley. Days I, or Gold Pie I, Grad Hickley I, HOTEL-17 Grad Casio RV Resort & Chalets, HOTEL-17 Grad Casio Hickley Hotel, HOTEL-17 Grad Norther I, HOTEL-17 There will be scheduled stops to North Brach. See details i fial mailig. AmericI Lodge ad Suite, North Brach or Budget Host I & Suites, North Brach or

18 18 Overight details ad Halfway Show Lodgig/campig We are fortuate to have ample campig space for all those who wish to sped the eveig out uder the stars. For those who are slightly less adveturous, we offer idoor campig optios both Friday ight i the Proctor High School Field House ad Saturday ight at the Hickley High School. A list of earby hotels are icluded i this magazie for those who prefer ot to camp. Please make your ow reservatios ad keep i mid these rooms fill up quickly, so do t delay i makig reservatios! You may wat to keep callig for cacellatios if you do t get a room right away. Shuttles Shuttle busses will make cotiuous loops to earby hotels, idoor campig ad local establishmets both Friday ad Saturday eveigs. Oly the hotels listed i our magazie will be icluded i our shuttle routes, so you will eed to make your ow plas for gettig to ad from the overight grouds if you choose to stay i a differet hotel. Shuttles will pick you up i the morig i time to get breakfast, fill your water ad Gatorade bottles ad head out o the route. Etertaimet Saturday ight at the Grad Casio brigs the ever popular Halfway Show. Joi Moo from KS95 for a fu filled eveig of team sogs, poems, tet decoratig ad T-shirt competitios. May teams take this eveig to celebrate with oe aother i Tet Village, a collectio of baquet style tets located ear the campgrouds. Some go as far as brigig their ow massage therapists ad BBQ diers. Be sure to wader through the village ad take i the decoratios from all the team tets. Iformatio/first aid Iformatio voluteers are located at the security buildig ear the food tet o the grouds of Grad Casio to aswer ay questios. First aid persoel will also be available at this locatio throughout the ight for ay medical eeds you may have.

19 19 Rest stops ad route ifo The Bike MS: Larki Hoffma MS 150 Ride 2008 is a fully supported weeked evet coverig, you guessed it, 150 miles. Our staff ad voluteers work diligetly to make sure the evet is fu for everyoe. Every 10 to 15 miles, the MS Society provides rest stops with fruit, water, Gatorade ad sacks. There will also be first aid persoel ad bike mechaics at every rest stop. I additio to the route maps you receive, our route is very well marked with orage sigs alog the side of roads ad trails markig turs, itersectios ad geeral directios. The route will be ope to riders Saturday ad Suday morigs from 6:30 to 8:30 a.m. Please do ot leave outside of these times as our rest stops ad luch statios are scheduled aroud the start time. If you start prior to the official opeig, we caot guaratee that you will be supported by rest stops alog the route. This becomes dagerous especially sice the weather ca be upredictably warm or stormy that time of year. While we make every effort to esure the safety of our riders, it is importat to ote that the road portios of the route are NOT closed to vehicular traffic. You must obey all traffic sigs ad laws while ridig Bike MS ad share the road ad trails with other bicycles ad vehicles. Saturday rest stops Carlto Ope approx. 7 to 10 a.m. Mahtowa Ope approx. 7:30 to 10:30 a.m. Moose Lake Ope approx. 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Willow River (luch stop) Ope approx. 9:45 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Back by popular demad: The ride returs to the trail Saturday from Willow River to Hickley. Filayso Ope approx. 10:15 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Suday rest stops Pie City Ope approx. 7 to 10 a.m. Rush City Ope approx. 7:15 to 10:30 a.m. North Brach (luch stop) Ope approx. 8:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wyomig Ope approx. 9:15 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Lio Lakes Ope approx. 9:45 a.m. to 3 p.m.

20 20 Route support While you ride, you should oly be cocered about two thigs: havig fu ad ridig safely. Here are just a few of the voluteer groups who willl be supportig you durig the weeked adveture. Motorcycle escorts Motorcycle escort voluteers ca be foud alog the route. They moitor ad guide cyclist traffic, but are ot permitted to stop vehicular traffic. They ll be ridig motorcycles ad wearig safety vests so you ca t miss them. Commuicatios support Commuicatios voluteers are statioed at every rest stop alog the route ad i each of the support ad gear vehicles. If you ecouter a accidet or other emergecy, let a commuicatios voluteer kow. They will be wearig bright gree shirts. Itersectio safety Itersectio voluteers are positioed to provide riders with assistace whe itersectios are ecoutered alog the route. Note: These voluteers are ot permitted to stop or direct traffic. All cyclists must take persoal resposibility for their ow safety whe crossig a itersectio. They will be wearig safety vests. Bike shop mechaics Nie local bike shops sposor Bike MS. They ll be available at the start of each day, at all rest stops durig the day ad i Hickley at the ed of the first day. Get your bike ispected weeks before the ride ad most serious problems should be discovered at this time. See page 28 for a list of participatig bike shops. Ride marshals Wearig red jerseys, this team of experieced cyclists aims to help you reach the fiish lie safely. All ride marshals are traied i the rules of the road ad the Bike MS ride. Whether you re ridig for the first or 10th time, follow the lead of the ride marshals ad please cotribute to your safety ad the safety of those aroud you by adherig to the rules of the road. SAG vas Just ca t push aother pedal? Look for the first support ad gear va to come your way ad give the thumbs dow sigal if you wat to be picked up. You ad your bike will be trasported. NOTE: The trip ito the fiish lie is ot always direct. Be patiet as we pick up other cyclists i eed. If you oly wat a ride to the ext rest stop, let the driver kow. Route markigs to look for We make every effort to esure you wo t get lost! Follow the orage arrows every pedal of the way. You ll see our route sigs at each tur ad eve o straightaways, so you kow you did t make a wrog tur. Note about persoal support vehicles Persoal support vehicles are ot permitted o the route. Please uderstad our eed to cut dow o vehicular traffic for your safety. If you or your team wishes to use a persoal support vehicle, otify Bike MS staff. We ca provide off-route directios betwee rest stops ad alterate parkig locatios. Cotact Will Ziegehage at wziegehage@mssociety or , if you or someoe you kow is iterested i voluteerig for ay of the route support groups.

21 21 Cyclig 101 Choosig a bike Most Bike MS: Larki Hoffma MS 150 cyclists ride either a road bike or hybrid. If you choose to ride a moutai bike, take our advice ad switch the fat, kobby tires for thi, road slicks. It is of utmost importace that you are fitted for your bike before you start your traiig for the seaso. DO NOT make ay adjustmets the week prior to the ride. Believe it or ot, this ca have a terrible impact o your comfort durig the ride ad may eve cause ijury. Bike ispectio After a seaso of traiig or, worse yet, a seaso of hagig i a garage, your bike is due for a ispectio. Your local Bike MS sposorig bike shops offer free ispectios.* Take your bike i for a good oce-over. After all your preparatio, we d hate to see you get o the road with a ill-prepared bike ad rui your evet. *Ispectio does ot iclude parts or additioal labor. Accessorize before you exercise! Water bottle ad cage Do t leave home without it. O Bike MS, it s importat to drik before you re thirsty so you stay hydrated. Whe you get your bike, be sure it s outfitted with a water bottle cage ad at least a 20 oz. bottle. While you trai, get comfortable grabbig ad returig your bottle as you ride. Cosider a Camelback for hydratio efficiecy. Make sure to stop i at the rest stops to fill up your bottle o water or sports driks. Saddles The saddle that comes with your bike is great for ridig aroud the eighborhood. Do t eve thik about usig this seat o a log-distace ride! Gel seats are highly recommeded. Trust us, your rear ed will thak you! Seat bags Great for ID, suglasses, a spare tube, rai gear ad whatever else you may eed with you o the ride. Cyclig shoes/clipless pedals Cyclig shoes offer stiff soles to prevet foot flex ad fatigue. Clipless pedals add to cyclig efficiecy. Commit yourself to your bike ad clip-i for the best ride possible. If you go this route, be sure to trai with your clipless pedals so you re comfortable with the adjustmet. Clothig Cyclig shorts are a must. Jerseys offer pockets for easy access to eergy bars, gels ad baaas. Tights ad rai gear are recommeded for iclemet weather. Socks, gloves ad suglasses come i hady, too. Speedometer/odometer Track your progress as you trai ad also moitor yourself durig Bike MS. It s importat to kow your ridig ability ad how far you ca push yourself.

22 22 Safety Safety is our No. 1 cocer o all Bike MS evets. Persoal resposibility Every rider is required to take a persoal approach to his or her ow safety. Eve with all the safety ad support systems i place, accidets ca happe. Riders caot rely o others to esure their safety. It is the persoal resposibility of each ad every rider to keep themselves as safe as possible o this evet. Please read ad follow the safety rules. If you have ay questios regardig these policies, please call our office at or us at biketour@mssociety.org. Route sweepig Smooth roads ahead. Through its geerous doatio, Reliakor Services will sweep the shoulders of all route roads each ight before the ride. If you ecouter debris or other hazards while ridig, please call the o-emergecy umber o your wristbad. Rules of the road how to ride i groups Whether you re o a road or a trail there are some basic safety rules to keep i mid whe ridig with a group. Please ride sigle file o trails ad o more tha two abreast o the road. We have may riders participatig i our evets ad it becomes dagerous o arrow shoulders ad crowded trails whe cyclists ride ext to oe aother. Stop at all itersectios, eve whe a voluteer is preset. It is your resposibility to look for ocomig vehicles. Always pass o the left side ad make sure to aouce your pass by callig, O your left. If you are beig passed, please stay toward the right side of the trail or road ad slow dow to allow the other rider to pass safely. Headphoes or cell phoes are ot allowed while ridig ay Bike MS evets. If you eed to make a call, please pull over to the right ad dismout before usig your phoe.

23 23 Courteous cyclists (sigals ad calls) Verbal sigals should be used wheever you re ridig aroud other people to help with passig, approachig vehicles or visible hazards. Hazard Aouce ay debris, holes, etc., that could be dagerous to cyclists followig you. O your left Idicate before you begi to pass. Wait for the bike i frot of you to move to the right before you pass. Make sure to leave at least two bike legths betwee you ad the previous cyclist. Car up or Car back Aouce at itersectios or whe ridig o roads if you see or hear approachig vehicles either from the frot or the rear. Alcohol ad drug policy Cosumptio of alcoholic beverages while ridig is ot permitted. You will be asked to sig a release form ad will ot be supported o the ride for the remaider of the day. Alcohol is ot permitted o the Proctor High School grouds, so please move off the grouds if you pla to have alcohol Friday eveig. Please keep i mid that use of some drugs may impair your ability to ride safely. If you have a coditio that requires the use of medicatio, please iform our staff so we ca better assist you i case of a medical emergecy. Helmets Helmets are required for all Bike MS evets. They must fit properly ad the strap must be buckled at all times while o your bike. Rest stop etiquette Please ride fully ito the rest stop area ad dismout. Make sure to move completely away from the rest stop etrace to allow other riders to eter safely. Whe exitig, please keep to the right ad move beyod the rest stop area before mergig with faster riders.

24 24 How to trai So you ve decided to ride 150 miles i two days. Most of us are t goig to be able to start ridig 80 miles i oe day uless we ve bee witerig i warmer climates ad ridig regularly. For the rest of us, start a bit smaller. Eight weeks is plety of time to get you ready for this weeked adveture! As with ay other exercise program, cosult your doctor before begiig. Liste to your body; if you eed a break, take a break; if you wat to go farther, go for it. If you thik you re overdoig it, you re right. Most of all have fu ad ejoy your rides. Here are some tips to make the most of your traiig: Do t worry about the speed you re ridig, it s the frequecy ad duratio that are the key factors i your traiig. Just keep it comfortable ad cosistet. Take care of yourself eve whe you re ot o your bike. Drik plety of fluids, make smart food choices ad make sure to get eough rest. Repleish your body withi 30 miutes after a ride by drikig water ad sackig o somethig with carbohydrates. Ride with someoe! Eve if you re the oly oe you kow ridig Bike MS, this is a great opportuity to get your family ad frieds ivolved (This is also a great way to obtai ew doors for your fudraisig.). Eight weeks prior to the evet: Head out o two five-mile rides with oe 10-mile ride. Ideally, a rest day before ad after the 10-mile ride will allow the body to recover more easily ad to help you decide if you eed a differet saddle. Seve weeks to go: icrease the frequecy of the rides to two five-mile rides ad two 10-mile rides. Cogratulatios, you re ridig 30 miles this week! Six weeks: Two 10-mile rides ad oe 15-mile ride will improve your edurace ad allow you ample time to recover durig the off days. Five weeks: Oe 10-mile ride, oe 15-mile ride, ad oe 20-mile ride brig the total for the week to 45 miles. Oly four weeks to go: Now is whe you wat to focus o mileage, ot frequecy. The weekeds are a great opportuity to get i oe 20-mile ride ad oe 30-mile ride with a 15-mile ride durig the week. Three weeks util the evet, ad eve more miles to come. Oe 10-mile ride durig the week will maitai the fitess levels you ve built alog the way. Oe 30-mile ride ad oe 40-mile ride durig the weeked will ehace your edurace levels ad make that spadex fit perfectly. Two weeks left ad 90 miles later! Oe 10-mile ride does t seem like much after last week s ride, but it will help the muscles recover ad prepare for this week s 50-mile ad 60-mile bike ride. That s a total of 120 miles this week! The week of the ride: You ve made it. Although you ll be ridig about 75 miles each day, that does t mea you should t touch your bike the rest of the week. It does, however, allow you to play with your miles o two rides durig the week. Make sure those rides do t exceed 20 miles. Take Friday off. Gather your gear ad pack it i the car. Smile ad give yourself a pat o the back. You re ready.

25 25 Traiig ride iformatio Riders who are ew to group ridig or Bike MS evets will beefit from takig part i traiig rides prior to the evet. Traiig rides offer a opportuity to gai o-the-road experiece, lear proper rider etiquette, talk with ride marshals, ad ask MS staff questios about fudraisig, evet details, etc. For additioal traiig rides,* check the followig Web sites: Twi Cities Bike Club Paul Buya Cyclists Hiawatha Bike Club Ride ad Glide Ski ad Bike Club Be sure to read the Bike MS mothly e-newsletters for additioal iformatio to get you ready for Bike MS. If you do ot receive ewsletters but wish to, call or Traiig ride schedule April 30, 7 p.m. Ride departig from Gateway Cycle, 6028 Hwy. 36 Blvd. N., Oakdale, MN. Led by Team Aderse.* May 10 Bike MS: Alliaz Twi Cities Ride 2008 (formerly Alliaz MS 60/30 Bike Tour) May 24, 8 a.m. Ride departig from Maple Grove Cycle Fitess, 8121 Wedgewood Lae, Maple Grove. Led by Stevie s Woders.* *The listig of these rides is provided as a courtesy ad does ot imply ay coectio to or edorsemet by the Natioal MS Society or Bike MS. If you decide to ride i oe of the above rides, you do so at your ow discretio.

26 26 Rookie riders Welcome to your first Bike MS: Larki Hoffma MS 150 Ride! This year marks the 29th two-day cyclig evet. First ad foremost, you are ot aloe. Last year we had more tha 1,000 riders participatig for the first time. You will have our staff ad hudreds of voluteers supportig you throughout the weeked. Bike MS evets are ot races; you do ot have to be Lace Armstrog to participate. This two-day evet is geared for riders of all skill levels ad abilities. Last year the Larki Hoffma MS 150 raised more tha $2.3 millio to help create a world free of MS. It is ever too early to start fudraisig. Each rider is resposible for a miimum of $300 i pledges. Just keep i mid that people ca t say yes util you ask them! Please take your time readig through this magazie as you will fid valuable iformatio such as how to check i, what to pack ad much, much more. Here are some tips that first time riders might fid helpful: The most importat thig o your bike is a properly fittig saddle. Sped some time i it to make sure it s the oe you wat to be sittig o for 12 or more hours over a weeked. Most riders start o the route before 7:30 a.m. If you leave at 8:30 a.m., you ll be oe of the last o the route. The speed of our riders averages from 10 to 18 miles per hour. Do t feel like you eed to go faster tha you re comfortable with, there are riders of all speeds o this evet. Lies for the showers ca get pretty log. The logest lies are usually betwee 1 ad 3 p.m. Showers are also available at Hickley High School. Food lies ca also be deceptively log. Eve though the lie is log, it really does t take log to get to the food. Just to be safe, it s best to pla o takig a hour for breakfast. This icludes time i lie, eatig, goig back for secods, if you wat them, ad havig time to chat with other riders. Some riders choose to brig a small amout of spedig moey with them i case they wat to visit the food vedors or local hot spots. Small bills are best. Brig plastic bags for your wet gear (swimsuits, towels, etc.). You may also wat to brig a credit card ad blak checks with you i case the worst happes ad you eed some major repair o your bike durig the evet. The bike mechaics come prepared with almost everythig you could possibly eed. If you forget a water bottle or oe of your spokes break, these are the people you wat to see. If you are campig idoors, try to get a space early. The ceter of the room is always a little quieter tha ear doorways. If you re a light sleeper, you might wat a sleepig mask ad ear plugs. They re ot all that attractive, but at least you ll be sleepig. Iformatio booths are located at Proctor, Hickley ad Blaie. If you have ay questios or eed ay assistace, this is the best place to start. There will be specially marked port-o-potties for all our riders who raise $1,000 or more. As always, MS staff are available to aswer ay questios or cocers you might have at biketour@mssociety.org or We ll see you i Jue!

27 27 Sposors Title sposor Silver sposor Food sposors Rest stop sposors Media sposors Site sposors Route/logistics sposors

28 28 Bike shop sposors Bicycle Chai Roseville Bokoo Bikes Two Twi Cities metro locatios Couty Cycles Roseville Erik s Bike Shop 15 locatios i Miesota ad Wiscosi Freewheel Bike Mieapolis Gateway Cycle Oakdale Maple Grove Cyclig & Fitess Maple Grove Pe Cycle Six Twi Cities metro locatios Toka Cycle & Ski Mietoka

29 29 Coupo Coupo MS Hwy 36 Blvd No Oakdale, MN ACCESSORIES & SERVICE * *With this coupo. Not valid with ay other offer or coupo. SALES SERVICE RENTALS Store Hours: M-F 10am-8pm Sat 9am-5pm Su 12-4pm

30 30 Voluteers eeded! Each year, thousads of voluteers make MS Society evets possible. Whether it s drivig a rest stop truck or cheerig at the fiish lie, voluteers are a crucial part of the Bike MS: Larki Hoffma MS 150 Ride. If your frieds ad family members are t busy participatig i the evet, ivite them to led a had by voluteerig. Voluteers receive luch ad a voluteer T-shirt. Voluteers opportuities iclude: Itersectio safety* Rest stop assistats Parkig assistats Set-up/tear-dow Food service Support ad gear drivers Registratio Ride marshals HAM radio operators Motorcycle escorts* Photographers Massage therapists Truck drivers* *=greatest eed First aid* Route markers* There is a voluteer positio for everyoe. For more iformatio or to sig up, visit or cotact Will Ziegehage at or wziegehage@mssociety.org. Your photo here

31 Where Great Cyclig Joureys Begi. A WORLD FREE OF MS PRICELESS. is a proud supporter of the 2008 MS Bike Ride BRING IN THIS AD FOR 20%OFF ay accessories, clothig or service ad 10%OFF MSRP o ay i stock bike. Limit oe coupo per customer. 20% Off Oe regular priced bike accessory, jersey or cyclig short uder $75 with this coupo. 31 EXPERIENCE THE MAPLE GROVE CYCLING & FITNESS DIFFERENCE Family Owed for 20 years Free Lifetime Warraty* 2-Year Free Adjustmets* Bikes/Accessories for Ay Budget Fast, Expert Repairs O All Makes *New bike purchases oly. See store for details WEDGEWOOD LANE I frot of Cub Foods. Next to Blockbuster Video. HOURS: M F 10AM-9PM SAT 9AM-6PM SUN 12-4PM REMEMBER: You ca always brig your family s bikes i for a FREE safety ispectio! MapleGroveCyclig.com Limit oe coupo per customer. Not valid o sale or clearace items. Expires 12/31/2008.

32 top fudraisers Missio Stars Club (participats who raised $1 for every perso with MS i Miesota ad wester Wiscosi $9,000 or more) Top fudraisig team NatureWorks/Cargill, $98,232 Captai Grat Braasch Dey McGill, Top fudraiser, $20,895 I his iaugural year, Dey McGill took the coveted top fudraisig spot, raisig a remarkable $20,895 to help ed MS. Dey is part of Team NatureWorks/Cargill. Da Aderso $9,000 Rachel Hollstadt $10,200 Gregory Lag $18,637 Dey McGill $20,895 Nacy McGill $15,205 Jim Rogers $9,537 Jeifer Rogers $10,012 Michael Schrock $11,150 VIP participats who raised $3,000 or more David Abrams $4,265 Fred Holzapfel $5,175 Katie Adolfso $3,170 Tom Hus $3,440 Jaice Aue $3,600 Stephe Jeks $3,250 Marty Bassett $8,018 David Jeks $4,025 LeRoy Bedickso $3,200 Alle Jeks $5,465 Stephe Boulware $3,020 Steve Johso $3,010 Chris Brow $6,675 Ady Johso $4,310 Jim Butts $7,904 Jeremy Jorda $3,435 Cathy Cartalucca $3,428 Mike Koepke $3,485 Thomas Como $4,160 Douglas Kreusch $6,238 Bill Cook $3,250 Trevor Larse $6,780 Gary Disch $6,210 Pierre Jea Laupies $7,160 Rick Eber $7,500 James Loreze $7,475 Mike Etzel $3,050 Jaell Melhor $3,845 Brya Evarts $3,150 Michael Meer $3,050 Lawrece Fox $3,053 Pat Muso $3,745 Gary Guter $3,268 Bob Nelso $6,002 Lisa Gustafso $4,137 Jea Nitchals $5,320 Helee Haapala $4,500 Ady Olso $3,645 Chad Hemquist $3,055 Amy Ottestroer $4,005 Jo Pederse $4,000 Dave Rod $5,375 Pete Ruliffso $5,000 Tim Russell $3,330 Jeffrey Schackor $3,025 Lace Schlimge $4,135 Bob Scheider $4,185 Ke Sobaski $7,845 Charles Stark $4,235 Jill Steike $3,465 Mark Svobody $3,845 Raymod Tahk- Johso $4,175 Tad Thompso $3,070 Gary Va Cleve $4,490 Waye Weber $3,100 Morga White $3,000 Ke Wise $8,325 Todd Zabel $3,450

33 33 Let FREEWHEEL BIKE help Power Your Passio to ed MS SAVE 65% SAVE 20% TREK Vapor Helmet Retail $39.99 MS Rider Price $31.99 NIKE Pro Short Retail $ MS Rider Price $48.99 (while supplies last, o raichecks, short may ot be this exact image) LOCATION 1812 South 6 th Street Mieapolis, MN Create your legacy Your will tells a lot about who you are. It shows how deeply you care for family ad frieds. It tells a story about the thigs you valued i your lifetime. It reveals your desire to leave a legacy. That s why I m leavig a gift to the Natioal MS Society, Miesota Chapter i my will. THIS IS HOW I JOIN THE MOVEMENT. Kimberly, diagosed i 2000 Make a bequest to the society today. For more iformatio, cotact Shao at or swolkerstorfer@mssocietyorg.