Readers' Choice Awards - Vote RONA MS Bike Tours "Best Cycling Event"

Although the cooler weather is starting to arrive, we’ve always got our minds on cycling in the warm weather. We’re busy planning for the RONA MS Bike Tours 2011 but we’re thinking back fondly to the fun we had this past summer. Please show your support and how much you enjoyed riding towards an end for MS by voting the RONA MS Bike Tours as Canada’s ‘Best Cycling Event’ in Get Out There magazine’s 2010 Reader’s Choice Awards! The RCA’s recognize the people, places and events that make active living in Canada so wonderful.

There are only 17 days left to vote and it is so simple. Visit http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/K5PYPW7 and enter RONA MS BIKE TOURS under Best Cycling Event.

Need some more reasons to vote?
• Over 10,000 cyclists raised over $10 million in 2010 – amazing!
• Funds raised support much-needed world-leading multiple sclerosis research and services
• The tours take cyclists through some of the most scenic and spectacular parts of Canada
• Check out these personal stories of those touched by MS and find out why they ride.

Vote and then tell us more about why you think the RONA MS Bike tours are number 1 at http://www.facebook.com/MSBikeTours & http://twitter.com/MSBikeTours

PS – Registration for the RONA MS Bike Tours 2011 is open! Sign up now so you can build your team and start your fundraising.

A Thank-You Letter

Paulette and Laurent Thibault have been riding in the RONA MS Bike Tour for 16 years! This year, they participated in the Acton to Waterloo Tour. They sent us a thank you message dedicated to their supporters, describing their experience at the Tour.

A great big thank you ! With your support, our 16th MS Bike Ride raised $3,800 for the MS Society. The total raised by the RONA MS Bike Tour- Acton to Waterloo this year is over $300,000.
Saturday was hot & humid and the trick was to stay hydrated. Sunday morning was cloudy & cool. It was perfect for riding. The photo above was taken at the finish line with Mike Augustine. He is a terrific young man afflicted with MS and he comes out every year to thank everyone for raising money to fight MS. He is a great inspiration to all of us who are healthy enough to ride.
This year, Laurent rode by himself because Paulette seriously injured her right leg on a cycle trip in Europe this past July, which required surgery. As a result, she was not able to ride, but as you can see from the photo, she came out to the finish line to cheer on the arriving cyclists.
We really appreciate your generous donations to this important cause. Over the years, all of us have contributed close to $45,000 for MS Research and to help those affected by with this debilitating disease . We are making a difference !
Paulette & Laurent Thibault

Congratulations, Toronto!

The RONA MS Bike Tour 2010 season has officially come to an end in Ontario! Sunday, over 430 cyclists gathered at Centennial Park and pedaled through the streets of Toronto as part of the last RONA MS Bike Tour of the year in Ontario.

Thanks to the energy, creativity and team spirit of the Toronto Tour participants, the fundraising total for the RONA MS Bike Tours in Ontario is now an amazing $220,000

Check back soon for links to photos from the Acton to Waterloo, Niagara and Toronto Tours, and feel free to leave a message below or on our Facebook page about your experience at the RONA MS Bike Tours 2010.

Gearing up for Toronto

There are only 4 days left until we wrap up the RONA MS Bike Tour season in Ontario! This Sunday, September 12th, an expected 500 riders will cycle through the neighborhood streets of Toronto, down the Humber Trail, and then ride back to Centennial Park for a barbeque lunch. Whether you’re riding, volunteering, or cheering on fellow supporters, ensure you familiarize yourself with the weekend’s pre-event newsletter so you can arrive prepared and rested on Tour day. The newsletter includes an itinerary, tips on what to bring, and frequently asked questions

• Toronto Tour Itinerary

• Toronto Tour Route Map Note: This route map is tentative. Official route maps will be distributed on event day.

Have a safe, fun weekend and thank you for joining the movement to end MS!

Thank you to our Bike Shop Sponsors

With only one RONA MS Bike Tour 2010 to go in Ontario, we’d like to thank our generous MS-Friendly Bike Shop sponsors. They helped us spread the word about the event, and kept our bikes in top shape this Bike Tour season with free bike inspections for all registered participants.

Special thanks to our gracious Platinum and Gold Bike Shop sponsors for their support and enthusiasm along the Bike Tour routes!







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 for next year’s RONA MS Bike Tours, please contact Heather McEachern at heather.mceachern@mssociety.ca.

There’s Still Time to Submit Pledges

Congratulations to everyone who has participated in one of the RONA MS Bike Tours 2010! You’ve raised over $2.2 million so far in Ontario, with one more Bike Tour to go.

Whether you cycled from Acton to Waterloo, along the Niagara River, or you are getting ready for the Toronto Tour, remember you can still submit pledges up to four weeks after your Tour date. Friends, family and coworkers can continue to donate through your personal online fundraising page. To submit cash and cheques, follow the directions on your fundraising envelope.

Best of luck to those of you gearing up for the Toronto Tour on September 12th!

Life is a Learning Curve

We checked in with Mike Augustine, long-time ambassador for the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada and a friendly face at many MS Society events.

As the RONA MS Bike Tour 2010 gets underway, and the 2011 MS WALK is beginning its initial planning stages, I am reminded of the parallels between these events, and the journey everyone must make while living with multiple sclerosis.

Like everything else, it is about planning for the future, while understanding that the road ahead is never predictable. It is about sometimes getting tired, sometimes getting lost, and sometimes even falling, but never losing sight of the fact that those times are only just a small part of the whole journey.

I’ve not posted an update for some time, primarily because my MS is getting worse. As I have secondary progressive multiple sclerosis, that means that whatever I lose, I lose for good. I now find myself at the beginning of a new phase in my life.

I had planned to climb to Mt. Everest Base Camp this October to raise much needed funds to help those like me who live with this disease. I eventually came to realize that I needed to focus on making myself better before I could do the same for others. Therefore, my trip has been postponed until next October. Am I daunted? Oh, yes. But as I said, this is just another step on the path towards becoming the person I want to be - whom I’m truly meant to be... I just need to keep my focus and let my feet take care of themselves.

If I take it one step at a time, there’s no telling how far I’ll go, or what I will accomplish when I reach my destination. Even by myself, I can still achieve truly amazing things, but together, you and I can accomplish miracles.

Together - we can finally end MS!

Mike Augustine