226 bike for clean water at 11th annual Buzzards Bay Watershed Ride on Oct. 1
Skies were clear, sunny, and blue as a record 226 cyclists pedaled across Southeastern New England to show their support for clean water at the 11th annual Buzzards Bay Watershed Ride on Sunday, October 1. The event raised over $143,000 and counting to support the Coalition’s work.
The Falmouth Academy Pedalers raised more than $5,000 for clean water – and their school – by biking 35 miles at the Watershed Ride.
Supporters can still donate through Sunday, October 15 to help cyclists achieve their $150,000 fundraising goal.
“I can’t imagine a more enjoyable way to have spent the day than cruising around our precious and beautiful Buzzards Bay!” said first-time rider Marilyn Halter of Fairhaven, who participated in the Watershed Ride as part of team Straws Suck. The 14 team members raised $15,625 for the Watershed Ride while also raising awareness of the harmful effects of single-use plastics to waterways like Buzzards Bay.
Sixty-five riders embarked upon the Watershed Ride’s 100-mile “century ride” from Sakonnet Point starting at 8:00am. The route wound through Little Compton and Westport’s picturesque coastal farmland to Horseneck Beach State Reservation, where another 53 riders began the 75-mile route at 9:00am.
After cycling through coastal South Dartmouth, New Bedford’s working waterfront, the leafy Fairhaven bike path and Mattapoisett’s forested backroads, riders stopped for lunch at Eastover Farm on Leonard’s Pond in Rochester. There, 108 additional riders joined the Watershed Ride at noon for its final 35 miles through Wareham’s cranberry bogs, across the Bourne Bridge and down Falmouth’s Shining Sea Bikeway to end at the Marine Biological Laboratory Swope Center.
A cheering crowd welcomed riders across the sunny finish line in Woods Hole, where they and their guests then enjoyed a finish line party complete with food, drinks, complimentary massages, live music, and an awards ceremony recognizing the top fundraisers, largest teams and best team outfits.
Riders crossed the finish line at MBL’s Swope Center on Eel Pond in Woods Hole. (Image: Matt Doucette)
The Watershed Ride drew cyclists of all ages and abilities from over 90 communities in 13 states, coming from as far away as Colorado. The oldest rider was 79-year-old Arthur Klipfel of Cambridge and the youngest rider was 15-year-old James Mongeon of Westport.
The top fundraisers were David “Chip” Johns of Mattapoisett, who raised $7,118; Jeff Gonsalves of Dartmouth, who raised $3,800; and Ken Cheitlin of Pocasset, who raised $3,379. The top first-time fundraiser was Peter Dean of Marion, who raised $3,375.
More than half of riders participated as part of one of 28 teams, which are made up of groups of friends and family who train, fundraise and ride the course together. The top fundraising team was the Sail Bags of Marion and Mattapoisett, whose 19 members raised an impressive $21,609 and also won the award for team with the most riders.
The award for best team outfit went to Coalition staff members Brendan Annett and Korrin Petersen, who rode a tandem bike 35 miles from Rochester to Woods Hole while dressed in candy striper and 1920s vaudeville performer costumes.
Another notable team was the Falmouth Academy Pedalers, whose 12 members were all Falmouth Academy students, staff and parents. Together, they raised $5,132 for their 35-mile ride. Every dollar they raise is being matched with a donation to Falmouth Academy.
(View full results and photos from the 2017 Watershed Ride.)
The Buzzards Bay Watershed Ride is one of two signature outdoor fundraising events hosted by the Coalition. The other is the Buzzards Bay Swim, a 1.2-mile open-water swim across outer New Bedford Harbor. The 25th annual Buzzards Bay Swim will take place Saturday, June 30, 2018.