1. Support clean water in Buzzards Bay

Make a difference for clean water and enjoy beautiful autumn coastal scenery on the Buzzards Bay Watershed Ride this October.

It’s the reason why we all choose to ride every October: clean water in Buzzards Bay. Together, riders raise more than $100,000 for the Coalition’s work to protect land, restore clean water, and inspire our community to make a difference.

If you love to ride your bike and you want to make a difference for our local environment, then sign up for the Watershed Ride today!

2. Explore beautiful fall scenery

Riders agree that the best part of participating in the Watershed Ride is the beautiful scenery. The route winds from the Buzzards Bay watershed’s westernmost point in Rhode Island to its easternmost point on Cape Cod. Along the way, you’ll see beaches and rocky shores, salt marshes and streams, forests and farmland, and even a few cranberry bogs. It’s all set in early fall, with crisp coastal air and the first glimpse of autumn colors through the trees.

For returning riders, there will be a few new views to enjoy this year! (See #9 below.)

3. Bike with your cycling buddies

Create a team, like Team Girl Power, and have fun with your friends while you ride!

A long-distance ride is a lot easier – and much more fun! – when you have someone by your side. That’s why so many riders create a team with their friends, family members, and coworkers. It’s easy to create a team – just ask a few cyclists you know if they’ll join with you. Then you’ll have a team to train with, talk to, and celebrate with after your ride! (Plus, there’s special prizes this year for teams – see #6.)

This year’s Ride is already bursting with teams from across the region, from Leadership SouthCoast and the South Coast Almanac to the Needham Flukes to Falmouth’s The Stripers. Are you and your cycling buddies ready to join them?

4. Embark on a physical fitness challenge

The Watershed Ride isn’t a race; it’s an outdoor experience that anyone who enjoys bicycling can do. If you like riding your bike but you’ve never done a long-distance ride before, the Ride is a perfect new challenge for you. With a just few weeks’ training, you can easily get ready for the 35-mile ride.

Done a few distance rides before? Now’s the time to step up to the 75-mile – or even the 100-mile route (see #5)! You’ve got the next 10 weeks to train – here’s a guide on preparing for a distance ride to get you started.

5. Celebrate a decade by riding a century

Speaking of a challenge – this year, the Watershed Ride is offering a 100-mile “century ride” for the very first time! The 100-mile route will begin in Little Compton, Rhode Island, and run for 25 miles before passing Horseneck Beach State Reservation, where the 75-mile start line is located.

Celebrate a decade of the Buzzards Bay Watershed Ride by riding a “century” – sign up for the 100-mile Watershed Ride route today!

6. Win prizes for fundraising and team spirit

The top fundraisers in the Watershed Ride win great prizes for raising money for clean water in Buzzards Bay.

Each year, the top fundraisers in the Buzzards Bay Watershed Ride win great prizes. It’s our way of thanking you for supporting clean water. But for our 10^th anniversary, we’re also awarding prizes for riders who bring some fun team spirit to the Ride!

Teams will be eligible to win prizes for most members and best uniforms…so get your team together and start planning your outfits now!

7. Kick back at a fun after-party

After a long ride, you’ll want to kick back and relax. And that’s exactly what you’ll be able to do at our famous finish line party in Woods Hole!

For returning riders, you can expect the same great party: a seaside BBQ with beer, wine, live music, awards, and free massages. But this year, we’re switching up the location – you’ll finish the Watershed Ride in the heart of Woods Hole Village, on the grounds of the Swope Center at the Marine Biological Laboratory on scenic Eel Pond.

8. Visit a new state

For the first time in its history, the Watershed Ride will start in a new state! The 100-mile start line is located at gorgeous Sakonnet Point in Little Compton, Rhode Island, where Buzzards Bay and Narragansett Bay meet. The first 10 miles of the route weave through coastal Rhode Island’s country roads before crossing into Westport, Massachusetts.

If you want to be one of the first Watershed Ride participants to start in Rhode Island, then sign up today!

9. See new sights along the route

A new 100-mile route, a new state to tour, a new finish line location…there’s so many new sights to see during the 10^th anniversary Watershed Ride, it’ll feel like a whole new event no matter how many times you’ve participated before!

But these aren’t the only new aspects of this year’s Ride. As cyclists pedal through New Bedford, they’ll traverse the New Bedford Harbor Walk, a newly constructed elevated bike path atop the hurricane barrier. You won’t want to miss this breathtaking panoramic view of New Bedford Harbor.

Kids and families can participate in this year’s Watershed Ride on a new 11-mile family-friendly route through Falmouth to the finish line.

10. Get your kids involved

This year’s Watershed Ride will feature yet another new route – this one for families with younger children who want to ride. You and your kids can bike together down the 11-mile Shining Sea Bikeway: a safe, easy bike path for beginner bicyclists. It’s a great way to help your children accomplish a physical challenge for a great cause. Sign up for the family ride today!

Thanks to our 2016 Buzzards Bay Watershed Ride event sponsors: Amica Insurance, Falmouth Road Race, Inc., Fiber Optic Center, and Whaling City Sound. If you’d like to sponsor the 10th anniversary Watershed Ride, send us an email.