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Doug Evans

Power of Bicycles

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3,663
kms

Lake Erie Ride: My Fundraiser for World Bicycle Relief

I’m planning a 750+ mile solo ride around Lake Erie in June 2024. Your donation will provide bicycles that change lives.

I believe in the Power of Bicycles and their ability to change the world. Please consider supporting my personal fundraising efforts to help mobilize individuals in rural developing countries. Just $165 helps put a brand new bike in the field and forever changes the trajectory of an individual's life.

Hitting my goal will provide more than 20 rugged Buffalo Bicycles, empowering more than 100 people to overcome ‘the poverty of distance’ in some of the world’s most isolated rural communities.

IMPORTANT: All money raised goes to World Bicycle Relief. None will be used for expenses related to my ride.

Thank you for your support!

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Reach My Goal

Raised

$2,215

My Goal

$3,500

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My Updates

“That’s a Crazy Idea. When Are We Doing It?” - An Adventure Origin Story

Sunday 10th Mar
For each of the last few years, I’ve taken a multi-day cycling trip, either with my regular ‘biker gang’ (Pittsburgh to D.C. on the GAP/C&O Towpath Trails), solo (Cincinnati to Cleveland on the Ohio to Erie Trail), or as part of an organized ride (Columbus to Portsmouth and back in the Tour of the Scioto River Valley, known as TOSRV). 

On the TOSRV ride last September, I met a group of riders from the Cincinnati area who told me their group motto is, “That’s a Crazy Idea. When Are We Doing It?” I took that to heart and thought how important it is to have friends like that in your life.

As I was considering my next ride, but before I was ready to commit to it, I got a late-night phone call from my friends Scott Thomas and Chris Shepard.

Here’s something you need to know about these guys… A few years back, they and four other co-conspirators had golfed across Scotland. They didn’t play the finest courses in the world like you’d expect. They walked the width of the country hitting golf balls from just north of Edinburgh to just north of Glasgow; hitting their golf balls through fields, forests and towns.

When I mentioned that my next potential ride was to circumnavigate the world’s 13th largest lake, they jumped on board immediately. Out of sheer coincidence, they had been kicking around the idea of an RV trip with their wives going along a very similar route. Without even being asking to help, they volunteered to be my support team - setting up for the evening at wineries, breweries and campgrounds throughout the bulk of my journey. 

At that moment, I was committed to make the trip happen.

A few years ago, on a visit to the new National Veterans Memorial and Museum with my in-laws, we met a man who was walking across America to raise money and awareness for support of veterans’ mental health issues. I was struck by the thought of how one man with commitment to an important cause can make a difference.

So it was an easy decision to add a fundraising element to our adventure. And it was even easier to select World Bicycle Relief as the beneficiary. Our friend Dave Neiswander has worked for WBR for several years. Dave and I had many adventures of our own, having traveled throughout Europe during a semester of college based in Luxembourg. I’m thrilled to be able to have this ride support such a worthy organization. 

Thanks for riding with me,
 - Doug

Planning & Training Update

Sunday 18th Feb
Hello friends and supporters. 
PLANNING: Plans are coming together for my Lake Erie Ride, and this is starting to feel real. I’ll start my ride in Detroit and ride counter-clockwise around the lake. After a few days of solo riding, I’ll meet my friends Scott & Kim Thomas and Chris & Liz Shepard in Western New York. They’ll be my support team for the remainder of my ride, driving their RV from town to town in Southern Ontario, setting up camp at wineries, brew-pubs or campgrounds. I’ll catch up with them each day. This will minimize the gear I need to carry on my bike, and provide much-needed companionship on the road. (Thanks Scott, Kim, Chris and Liz for your willingness to be part of this adventure!)

TRAINING: I’ve realized that I’ll need to carry any extra weight more than 750 miles, so I’m getting serious about fitness - focusing on eating better, getting quality sleep and following an intense training program on my bike. So far this year, I’ve ridden more than 1,000 miles, and I’ve lost nearly 20 pounds. That’s 15,000 pound/miles of work I won’t need to do!

I’ll keep you posted with more updates as things continue to come together.  Thanks for riding with me!

Thank you to my supporters

$172.26

Linda Evans

Yay, Doug!!! Keep pedaling!!!

$52.20

Tamara Dodds

Go Doug!!!

$52.20

Mark Williamson

Great cause! Good luck!

$200

David Olman

$52.20

Frase

Nice one Doug!

$52.20

Brian Henebry

$104.40

Mcsheppy

Take care not to further inflame the CC

$100

Tajudeen Bakare

Why not support a fellow rider! Go Doug Go!!!

$52.20

Chris Frederick

Go Doug!

$515

Anonymous

$52.20

Christopher Beck

It’s all in good fun until someone loses an eye. Break a leg, Brother Doiug!

$104.40

Doug Masson

$52.20

Kelsey Evans

$50

Mandisa Jackson

Diamond Doug!

$52.20

Ryan Evans

$41.76

Lori Walter

Keep riding Doug!!!! What an awesome way to give back!!

$104.40

Mike And Cheryl Evans

Always an inspiration! Super proud of you!

$52.20

Nathaniel Murphy

Great idea for an important cause, best of luck!

$26.10

June L Schlabach

Congratulations on deciding to do such an amazing ride… will look forward to hearing about your progress

$26.10

Kathy And Nick Defrancisco

Always an inspiration, and always amazing!!! Good luck Doug!!

$26.10

Kevin Corkrean

$52.20

Sharon Buck

Wishing u a happy and safe ride!!

$50

Anonymous

$172.26

Doug Evans

Let’s get this started…