DSRC group helps with MS-150 Bicycle Ride (9/25/21)

By | October 2, 2021
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about 20 bicycles riding down a wooded road
Several thousand riders participated in the 75 mile ride on Saturday

This year’s Multiple Sclerosis Society “Bike MS: City to Shore Ride 2021” was held on September 25 and 26, 2021. Here is the link to their site (which may go bad in the future)

https://mssociety.donordrive.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.event&eventID=555

The route crossed the NJ pine barrens and included a 75 mile course and an extra 25 mile loop to make a total of 100 miles “Century ride.” The Saturday course was from Cherry Hill, NJ to Ocean City, NJ. Riders could also ride back up to Cherry Hill on Sunday, making it “150 miles.” Many riders just did the Saturday ride.

Map of southern NJ with route marked in red
Route from Cherry Hill, NJ to Ocean City, NJ with extra loop to make it 100 miles
John operates radio from rental truck
John, KD2AAR Helped by running a SAG wagon (Support and Gear) to pick up stranded riders and their bicycles.

John, KD2AAR, and John, NU3E are old hands at this event. John KD2AAR operated one of nine “Support and Gear” wagons- combination of a rental truck for the gear, and a van for the riders who could not continue on the course. John, NU3E, participated in the 75 mile ride on Saturday.

A long road, a van with a radio in the back and Charlie, N2CTW
Waiting for more riders at my milemarker, Charlie, N2CTW

Both Charlie, WA2EHN, and Charlie N2CTW provided “checkpoints” along the route, Each operator was identified by milemarker and callsign. We participated in a net run by N3MSS, the MS Event Communications Club, reporting events like “SAG vehicle passed” or “First Rider Passed.” Each location was active from early morning to noon or early afternoon. The total event involved five repeaters as well as simplex (direct) frequencies.

Scene of boardwalk with several shops lit up for the evening
Ocean City, NJ Boardwalk

Destination was Ocean City, where all were welcome to a spaghetti dinner. Communicators who worked Sunday got rooms and breakfast (Starting at 5 AM, it featured all the donuts you could eat!) then back to work!

We hope to do it again next year. Maybe you can join in, they always need more checkpoint operators along the route.

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