$43,680 Generated for Community Organizations & Nonprofits in 2023
When you ride with BikeADK, you ride for the Adirondacks. Thank you!
by Doug Haney, Bike Adirondacks
I was solo at 4,600 feet on Monday after skiing to the top of the Whiteface Veterans' Memorial Highway. Clouds blanketed the Ausable River Valley below. Up there, it was rich blue. The sun dipped in the late winter afternoon on the first day of 2024 making the surrounding peaks islands in a sea of silky gray.
"Wow," I said to the breeze.
My first reaction was to snap a photo and send it to my family. The second was to capture a few to share with you. Everything below is reaction No. 3.
"This is what's it's all about." I said it to myself, but I wanted to say it to you. So I did, and took this quick video.
Thing is, I was off in the video. Sure, I said that Bike Adirondacks had helped generate over $35,000 for regional nonprofits, community organizations and charities. Technically, it was an accurate statement. But after running the numbers a day later, the actual amount was $46,680 for a total of over $116,000 in just four years. You did that by riding bikes with us, buying a t-shirt or simply by tipping the volunteer bar tender at an event.
Because of you, we sent $6,500 to 10 different community food banks during ADK Unite, donated to Play ADK's effort to build the Adirondacks first children's museum through the Adirondack Women's Weekend. Then we featured the stunning Ausable River Valley during the 12th annual Ride for the River while supporting the conservation efforts of Ausable River Association.
At Pisgah Pedalfest, we raised money for the youth mountain biking movement in Saranac Lake driven by the Saranac Lake Innovative Cycling Kids and purchased t-shirts for every member of the Middle School Mountain Biking Club. The Weekender at Paul Smith's College supported the Saranac Lake Youth Center and the Pat Stratton Ride generated a record $17,000 for the youth programs driven by the Saranac Lake Kiwanis Club.
In Raquette Lake, we welcomed riders from across the northeast to Great Camp Sagamore to showcase the historic property and generate revenue toward continued public access and preservation. Then it was onto North Hudson where the Handlebarley Gravel Weekend featured the newly accessible Boreas Ponds tract and even though we couldn't ride to the Penfield Homestead Museum due to a road washout, we still sent them a check.
It pounded rain during Bike the Barns and only about 80 of the 203 riders registered chose to brave the weather to ride, but nearly everyone showed up for the post ride party resulting in over $10,000 in funds for local food systems programming spearheaded by the Adirondack North Country Association.
We traveled to Saratoga for Shred Fest and Old Forge for Adirondack Mountain Bike Fest to promote and donate to the Saratoga Shredders youth mountain bike club and the Adirondack Foothills Trails Alliance. And because you bought Barkeater Trails Alliance Gear throughout the year, we sent $5,500 to the Barkeaters for their efforts to build and maintain more FREE mountain bike trails for all of us to enjoy.
In the end, $46K might not sound like a lot, but the money goes a long way for the communities and landscape that make riding a bike in the Adirondacks so awesome.
Whattaya say we keep it going and crush that number in 2024? I'm fully in!
Event registration opens on Wednesday, January 17. Check out the FULL CALENDAR, call up your friends, and make plans to ride bikes with us. Because really, you're riding for the Adirondacks.
Clip In, Be Kind & Ride On,
doug
