Happy Canada Day!

The MS Society of Canada would like to wish all our members, sponsors, volunteers and partners a happy Canada Day. On July 1st, we celebrate the history, growth and accomplishments of our country. We’d also like to take a moment to think about the thousands of Canadian families living with multiple sclerosis, and thank all of our supporters for their contributions in the fight to end MS.

Have a great holiday, and stay tuned for news on upcoming RONA MS Bike Tour events this month!

Don't Forget a Bike Inspection

Only 25 days left until the first RONA MS Bike Tour 2010! The Grand Bend to London tour takes place Saturday, July 24th to Sunday, July 25th.

As part of your preparation for the Bike Tours, make sure you take some time to get your bike road ready. Ensure you have a safe, smooth ride on Tour day by visiting an MS Friendly Bike Shop for a FREE bike inspection for all registered participants.

Find your local MS Friendly Bike Shop, and plan to visit them EARLY in the summer to ensure you’re ready to ride.

Registration Fees Increase July 1st

Only one month left before the first Ontario RONA MS Bike Tour 2010!

For those of you who haven’t registered yet, there’s only a week left to take advantage of the last early bird registration before fees go up to regular price on July 1st, 2010. Please note that fees vary by Tour.

Register as an individual rider or form a team with your family, friends, and coworkers. For more information about the Tours, including registration fees, visit http://www.mssociety.ca/ontario/biketour.htm, and select one of our five exciting tours.

Track Your Progress

Getting ready to ride in the RONA MS Bike Tour 2010 means gradually building up your cycling endurance. If you’re new to cycling long distances or simply want to push yourself further, it’s a good idea to set riding goals and slowly work up to them.

If you’re not sure about the distance of routes in your area, try using mapping sites like MapMyRide.com. Use their interactive map to set your start point and end point. Choose your path, and automatically view the distance. Experiment by creating different routes, or browse through local route ideas submitted by other cyclists to keep your training exciting!

Know a great biking route in your area? Share it with us! Leave a comment below, or on our Facebook page.

Boost Your Fundraising!

Looking for a little extra support towards your fundraising for the RONA MS Bike Tours? Check out “Read to End MS,” a partnership between the MS Society of Canada and Chatelaine.

Subscribe today to a Rogers publication of your choice, and 50% of the subscription price will go towards your fundraising for the RONA MS Bike Tours.

Go even further! Invite friends and family to subscribe to a Rogers publication today and 50% of their subscription price will also go towards your fundraising total.

Now you can enjoy your favorite magazine while reaching your fundraising goal. Offer available until October 1st, 2010. Subscribe today at www.mssociety.ca/magazines.

Canada’s Top 100 Teams

Riding as part of a team is a great way to stay motivated, have fun, and feel supported during the Tour. It’s also a fantastic way to meet and exceed your fundraising goal!

As the RONA MS Bike Tour 2010 approaches, teams across Canada are showing incredible effort and dedication as they work together to reach their goals.

Click here to see a list of the Top 100 Teams from across the country for this year’s Tours.

For more information on forming teams, visit www.teamms.ca.

13th Annual RBC/MS Golf Tournament a Success!

A sincere thank you to all the golfers who participated in Friday’s Multiple Sclerosis Charity Golf tournament, presented by RBC Procurement. Now in its 13th year, Friday’s tournament was another great success.

Approximately 450 golfers came out to the Angus Glen Golf Club in Markham, Ontario, and together raised $400,000. These funds will be specifically directed towards paediatric multiple sclerosis research. The MS Society currently funds significant research led by Dr. Brenda Banwell at the Hospital for Sick Children, and through her, all paediatric MS clinics in Canada. Dr. Banwell is a leader in the study in the progression of MS in Canadian children.

Thank you to all participating golfers, sponsors, and volunteers for your support. To view photos from the event, click here.

Get in Gear: Training Tips

Regular, steady preparation is important for a smooth ride on Tour day, and it’s best to start early! While the RONA MS Bike Tours are recreational, consider following these steps to ensure you’re geared up and ready to cycle.

• Set S.M.A.R.T goals. As you set goals, make them Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and have Timelines in which you want to accomplish them.

• Make sure your Bike is in good shape. Visit one of our MS Friendly Bike Shops early for a free bike inspection if you are a registered participant. Be sure to have your seat and handle bars adjusted to fit you perfectly.

• Track your progress. Measure your improvement during training using your car’s odometer or online mapping sites like MapMyRide.com to determine the distance of a particular route. Also, consider asking your local bike shop about nearby routes.

• Get out and ride! Either on your own or with one of our volunteer-led RONA MS Bike Tour training rides, start with short rides and forget about your time and speed. Take a week to work up to a 30km ride. Focus on increasing and maintaining basic cardiovascular fitness first.

• Challenge yourself! Once you’ve mastered 30km rides, aim for a weekly ride of 50km to 60km. Try to maintain the same pace you established on moderate days, slowing down if necessary to complete the full route. Take time to gradually build up to longer routes.

See the MS Society RONA MS Bike Tour page for more training tips. Happy riding!

Team Events Updates

Read below for some important event updates from Team Quest Cycle and Team Eramosa...

TODAY!! Team Quest Cycle will be spinning and collecting donations for their team fundraising at the "Summer Blast Carnival" in Georgetown at Christ the King High school. There will be face painting courtesy of Kase, Kids Art Studio Experience and MS Bands of Hope for sale. Donate$10.00 or more and be entered into a draw to WIN. For more information visit their website at: www.TeamQuestCycle.ca


Canceled: Team Eramosa has cancelled their June 12th Garage Sale & BBQ. Please stay tuned for a reschedule dates.

RONA MS Bike Tour – Find a Bike Social Media Contest

Starting June 9, 2010 follow clues through various social media pages which will lead you to an image of a Norco VFR TWO Bike.

Be the first to post a comment on the hidden page and win!

1st Prize – Norco VFR TWO retail value $765

Runner up Prizes – free registration fees for any RONA MS Bike Tour in Ontario (3 prizes to be awarded)

Don’t want to do all of the work of following the clues but want to win the bike?
Register for a RONA MS Bike Tour in Ontario by June 22, 2010 and have the final clue sent directly to your mailbox on June 24, 2010.

What You Need To Know

- You must be an Ontario resident to win
- No purchase is necessary
- The first clue will be posted on June 9, 2010 at 5:00 EST on the RONA MS Bike Tour fan page
- To qualify to have a clue sent directly to you register online at http://www.msbiketours.com/ and then post “I registered” on the RONA MS Bike Tour discussion page
- Each business day between 9am and 5pm EST the next clue will be posted. Follow the trail to the hidden bike on Friday June 25, 2010 at 4pm EST.

Any questions please email erin.clifford@mssociety.ca

Visit an MS Friendly Bike Shop for a Helping Hand!

MS Friendly Bike Shops are generous sponsors of the RONA MS Bike Tours. Their contributions help us prepare great Tours for participants, and are there to make sure you have all the information and equipment you need for a safe, enjoyable ride.

All our MS Friendly Bike Shops are ready to provide registered participants with a FREE bike inspection. Check out http://mssociety.ca/ontario/bikeshops.htm to find your local MS Friendly Bike shop, and plan to visit them EARLY in the summer to ensure you’re ready to ride.

Special thanks to our gracious Platinum and Gold Bike Shop sponsors for their generous support:

Platinum Sponsors

Ancaster Cycle
Cyclepath Oakville
Gears Bike and Ski Shops Ltd.
Spoke ‘O’ Motion
Bike Zone Mississauga
D’Ornella’s Bikes
Cyclepath Mississauga
Bikefit Inc.


Gold Sponsors

Mountainview Cycle
Van de Velo
Steve’s Place
Spokes N’ Slopes

To inquire about becoming an MS Friendly Bike Shop sponsor, please contact Heather McEachern at heather.mceachern@mssociety.ca.

Stay tuned for nutrition and training suggestions next week!

Gearing up for Bike Month

May has come and gone and now we can start to enjoy the long, sunny, breezy days of June. June also marks Bike Month – the perfect time to get excited and get in shape for the RONA MS Bike Tours!

Bike Month is an international initiative to promote healthy living and a healthy planet. The MS Society is gearing up for a month full of fun and informative events to help you get ready for the RONA MS Bike Tour:

Windsor Pub Night
When: June 2nd, 6pm
Where: Moxies, Devonshire Mall, Windsor

Sarnia Pub Night
When: June 9th, 6pm
Where: Scroggies Grill and Taphouse, Sarnia

D'Ornella's Training Ride (Toronto)
When: June 12th, 10am
Where: Sunnybrook Park Stables

Sarnia Training Ride
When: June 12th, 9am
Where: Cantara Park (by the animal zoo), Sarnia

Scarborough Training Ride
When: June 12th, 10am
Where: 1894 Lawrence Avenue East, Scarborough

London Training Ride
When: June 19th, 9am
Where: 1100 Dearness Drive, London

London Pub Night
When: June 23rd, 6pm
Where: Wit's End Pub, London

Bike Shop Info Night- Cyclepath (Mississauga)
When: June 24th, 6:30pm
Where: Cyclepath, 1170 Burnhamthorpe Road West (at Creditview), Missisauga

Toronto Training Ride
When: June 27th, 10am
Where: 121 Edenbridge Dr, James Gardens, Toronto

For more information on RONA MS Bike tours events, visit http://mssociety.ca/ontario/biketour.htm.

For even more cycling activities this June, check your local city’s event schedule.