When I first heard that a ‘Big Bike Ride’ was coming to Buffalo, I assumed that a bunch of bikers were heading out for a trek. Then I was told that the riders, 29 total, would all be on the same bike – a bike the size of a school bus measuring 30 feet by 8 feet. The vehicle has a captain who makes sure that the ride goes smoothly and the fundraising effort is a success. At this point this is not a recreational ride as much as it is used to raise money for needy non-profits. Actually, if you think about it, this Big Bike is the perfect way for donors to get some fresh air and have the ride of their lives.
Colden Ray, from AIDS Community Services of WNY, told me that, “The way the event works is similar to fundraising walks, runs, and rides, in that teams raise pledges to ride the bike. This year we’re focusing on Big Kahunas—community leaders, corporate leaders, and anyone interested in a bigger challenge to support HIV/AIDS services. The Heart & Stroke Foundation in Canada has been doing Big Bike events for years and they’ve raised millions for their programs.”
Apparently, this is was the first time that the Canadian contraption ever made its way into the US. The riders left from Shanghai Red’s and pedaled their way to “new developments along the waterfront and travels through downtown—through Lafayette Square, down Court St., and through Niagara Square. Now that’s quite a distance, but when you have an army of people on one Big Bike, then the task is not so bad. When I saw this group, they were screaming and shouting (and pedaling) – it was a terrific scene all together.
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