Ride for the Feast 2012, Registration is Open!

Join us for our 10th Anniversary Ride for the Feast on May 19 & 20, 2012.  You can be part of this extraordinary event as a bike rider, event volunteer, medical volunteer, fundraiser, bicycle technician, and more!

Take advantage of our early bird registration rates by registering on-line before January 1, 2012. 
On-line registration is required for all riders and crew/volunteers.

Ride for the Feast is a 2-day, 140-mile bike ride throughout the state of Maryland beginning in Ocean City and ending in Baltimore City. We ride 140 miles because that is the exact distance a Moveable Feast driver must go to deliver to our farthest client.

This past May, our Ride for the Feast Riders and Crew helped raise $330,000 to support Moveable Feast and our mission to feed people, fight disease, and foster hope. With the money raised, we are able to continue delivering nutritious meals to homebound Marylanders living with HIV/AIDS, breast cancer and other life-threatening conditions.

To read our latest Ride edition e-Newsletter, click here.  For any registration help or questions about the ride, please contact Elana Kanter, Events Manager for Moveable Feast at ekanter@mfeast.org.

 

Check www.rideforthefeast.org today to register for Ride for the Feast 2012!

"Ride for the Feast: Follow Up"

Riders and Crew, you should have received the last of the 2011 News Bites, Ride Edition emails yesterday, Wednesday June 8th.

Click here to view the News Bites.

Now that our incredible journey is over (until next year!), this edition covered just a few follow-up topics:

1. Follow Up Survey
2. Save the Date for 2012!
3. Lost & Found
4. RFTF Photos

Most importantly, don't forget to complete our follow-up survey! Click here to access.

See you at next year's Ride for the Feast! 

BikeJam RecRide for HopeSprings

Hey Riders!

Can't wait to do another ride for a good cause?

HopeSprings, one of Moveable Feast's partner agencies, is the beneficiary of BikeJam's 2011 RecRide on May 28th, 2011. 

There are 2 ride choices available:

• 12-miler: easy & flat; roundtrip between Patterson Park & Ft. McHenry
• 31-miler: a bit more challenging, but tours Baltimore's finest nature parks

100% of proceeds from the RecRides will be donated to HopeSprings. 

Click here to visit the registration page. The Rides you will be looking for are "Recreation Ride #1: The Waterfront Ride" and "Recreation Ride #2: The Parks Ride."

The RecRide is a part of BikeJam 2011, an annual family event that attracts people to Baltimore's Patterson Park area for a day of fun, food, live music, games, and best of all, competitive bike races all day. 

Add this event to your Google calendar: 

"Like" BikeJam on Facebook! Click here.

HopeSprings is a Baltimore organization that works to "restore hope and healing to those affected by HIV/AIDS, as they work towards the eradication of the virus and its stigma." Moveable Feast works with HopeSprings to feed Baltimore citizens affected by HIV/AIDS.

Join us for Meet the Feast Tomorrow!

Riders and Crew, we have to congratulate you. You achieved incredible things leading up to and over the weekend of the Ride. Riders, you rode 140 miles over two days, surpassed fundraising goals by tens of thousands of dollars, trailblazed the new Ride route....and Crew, your efforts were absolutely essential to the success of the Ride, whether driving a SAG vehicle, staffing a pit stop, or just being there for logistical support.

Now, see how your efforts will truly pay off in the community.

Join us tomorrow, Tue. May 24th from 8AM to 9:30AM, for Meet the Feast. Take a tour of the Moveable Feast facility, meet the staff, learn about our services and commitment to our clients, and enjoy some brief refreshments.

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Check out the Facebook Event page.

More Photos of RFTF 2011!

Check out this assortment of photos taken by Jules Jung of the Ride Committee. More photo albums to follow in the next few days! 

Click below to view the album.

Why I Don't Ride

From the owner of Joe's Bike Shop, whom many of you saw on the roads and at the pit stops, assisting Riders with their bicycle issues. 

A quick message to everyone who rode; who helped; who donated,

Why don't I ride? In short, because it looks really hard! And yet, as I drive by you all, as you all ride by me, as I fix countless flats, all I see are smiles. Everyone relishing in the endeavor and all that it means, and knowing that for a cause this profound, it should be hard.

So if I don't ride, why do I spend my weekend driving back and forth along twisty roads getting lost, pumping enough air to make my arms hurt, fixing bikes that are often far less ready for such a challenge than the riders? Simple, because you let me. After five years, you couldn't keep me away now if you tried. I tell my staff, watching the shop while I'm away, that I'm off to work, but that couldn't be further from the truth. I have an absolute blast! You guys are the best.

But this speaks to a deeper question; why is it so much fun? We do a fair amount of support for a lot of charity rides, good causes all, but none compare. Why? Because it seems every single one of you realizes this ride is not for you. This ride is for the people you help. This is a charity ride and you guys get that. You may have, and do, have fun doing it. You may have personal challenges that a 140 miles provides, and you meet them. But you never seem to lose sight of the people you are riding for. I don't know if the organizers simply do a good job of not letting you forget what it's really all about, or that they do such a great job organizing and supporting the ride that there's nothing to complain about, or that it's a culture you've created that won't tolerate any degree of selfishness, or most likely, that you only invite good people to do the ride, but whatever the reason, you all make it so much fun to help you all. It is such a treat to support you all as you do so much to help so many people that need so much help so badly.

So, in short; thank you, thank you, thank you. Thank you for letting us feel a part of it, thank you for inspiring us, and thank you for all the help you provide so many.

Sincerely,

joe

PS. This is what charity rides are supposed to be. You get it like no other group. Thank you.

PPS. If anyone feels compelled to pay for the tubes, tires, or work provided, and you needn't as we are more than happy to provide them (some did ask), please make a donation to Moveable Feast. We will not accept any payment.

RFTF 2011: Pre-Ride Festivities

Friday, May 13th, 2011 marked the beginning of Ride for the Feast 2011, an incredible journey of more than 200 Riders and Crew.

In the early afternoon, participants began gathering at the Atlantic United Methodist Church in Ocean City for registration. Crew received their valuable volunteering information and t-shirt, while Riders received their goodie bag of supplies for the weekend.

A quick dinner of pizza and pasta was served, and then we jumped straight in to the pre-ride ceremony and speeches.

View these pictures in Picasa Web Albums: "RFTF 2011: Pre-Ride - Friday May 13th" - click here

2011 Pit Stops

SATURDAY MAY 14

Pit Stop 1

• Location: Adkins Mill Park, Intersection of Powellville Road & Purnell Crossing Road, Powellville, MD
• Hours Open: 8:30am to 11:30am

Pit Stop 2

• Location: Asbury Methodist Church, 1401 Camden Avenue, Salisbury, MD (BACK PARKING LOT)
• Hours Open: 9am to noon

Pit Stop 3- LUNCH

• Location: Mardela Springs Middle/High School, 24940 Delmar Road, Mardela Springs, MD
• Hours Open: 10:30am to 2:00pm

Pit Stop 4

• Location: Moxley’s Corner Market, Corner of MD 313/Sharptown Rd and El Dorado Road, El Dorado, MD
• Hours Open: 12Pm to 3:30pm

Pit Stop 5

• Location: Chance’s Corner Market, 21195 Dover Bridge Rd Preston, MD
• Hours Open: 1pm to 5:30pm 
•  

SUNDAY MAY 15

RIDE START

• Location: Broadneck Park, 618 Broadneck Road, Arnold, MD
• Ride starts at: 9AM

Pit Stop 1

• Location: Ranger Station on the B&A Trail, 51 West Earliegh Hieghts Road, Severna Park, MD
• Hours Open: Open 10AM – until last rider leaves

Pit Stop 2

• Location: Lindale Middle School, Corner of Andover Road and Ferry Road, Andover, MD
• Hours Open: Open 10AM – until last rider leaves

Pit Stop 3

• Location: American Visonary Art Museum, 800 Key Hwy, Baltimore, MD
• Hours Open: 11am until 1am

IMPORTANT Things to Know About This Year's Ride

Hey veteran riders,

Because you've done this ride before, you may think you know everything you need to have a great ride weekend. If you know how to have fun, you know the most important thing. But you also need to know about...

• New ride start location! If you've made a hotel reservation in Rehoboth, change it now! This year we're starting in Ocean City, MD.
  
• No bike pick up at the Orleans Street Garage: If you are riding the bus to Ocean City, you need to make sure you drop off your bike at the offices of Moveable Feast before noon on Friday. DO NOT go to the garage with your bike as you will be told to take it to the offices of Moveable Feast and you could potentially miss the bus, which leaves promptly at 12:30. More details can be found in April 27th's Rider email. Direct link here.
  
• No bike storage at ride start. In the past, we've been able to store your bike for you on Friday night. At this year's new start location, we don't have room. Make sure you can store your bike wherever you're staying Friday night.
  
• New route! Ok, this one should be obvious now. Since we're starting in a new location, the route will be very different from years past. Possibly even without chicken farms! But like always, it will be well marked and patrolled by our loyal SAG vehicles.
  
• You must carry a cell phone during the ride. With this year’s ride, we are requiring all riders to carry their cell phone with them in case for any reason we need to track you down.
  
• Must bring your own Cue Sheet Holder. Unless you purchased one when registering online, you will not receive a cue sheet holder in your rider goodie bag.
  
• Riders must use official SAGs only. If you need to stop early or skip ahead a few pits, you must do so in an official, marked SAG vehicle. If you wish to leave with a friend or family member, they can pick you up at the pit stop to which the SAG takes you.
  
• Staying at a hotel Saturday night? Then plan on having breakfast at the hotel Sunday morning. In order to allow our riders to have more time to sleep on Sunday morning, this year we will NOT be picking riders up from the hotel and taking them to Chesapeake College. We will instead transport riders directly over the Chesapeake Bridge to Broadneck Park where our Sunday portion of the ride will begin. So make sure you leave breakfast and fill up your water bottles before you leave the hotel.
  
• Riders MUST check-in at AVAM, which is the final pit stop before we arrive at Moveable Feast. Usually at pit stops, our volunteers record your arrival as you breeze into our out of the pits. However, at AVAM, you must stop at the check-in table and give your name to the volunteer who will then give you your ride shirt. Your shirt will be the size you requested during registration.

We hope these changes help you have a positive, efficient, and fun weekend. If you have any questions, please contact Ted at tblankenship@mfeast.org or 410.327.3420 x33.

Thanks for being a part of Ride for the Feast again this year!

Important Information for SAG Drivers

Greetings SAG Drivers!

SAG is a key component to the success of our weekend. Here we will review a few important details.  Please carefully read the information below, taking special note of the SAG requirements, car kits, and orientation times/locations.

 

SAG Requirements

• Attend SAG orientation on Saturday, May 14 and Sunday, May 15
• Provide own vehicle
• Provide own cell phone
• Attend an outdoor training ride (for new SAG drivers)
• Bike rack (or car big enough for a bike and rider) - contact Assistant Volunteer Manager, Elana Kanter if you need a bike rack.

You are encouraged to bring…

• GPS or road maps of the area
• Blue tooth

SAG Car Kits
Each SAG driver will be given a SAG car kit, which will include two magnets for your car, first aid kit, directions, contact numbers, water and snacks. The SAG car kit will need to be returned in a timely matter; preferably, at Sunday’s Closing Ceremony. Expect to share your credit card information upon checking in.  If SAG car kits are not returned, you will be charged.

ALL SAG drivers must attend BOTH SAG orientations:

• Saturday, May 14 at 7:00 AM, at Atlantic United Methodist Church (105 4th Street, Ocean City, MD)
• We are offering breakfast at the Church starting at 6:00AM - please join us, as you will not have time to eat breakfast following the SAG orientation!
• Sunday, May 15 at 8:15 AM, at Broadneck Park (618 Broadneck Road, Arnold, MD)

"RFTF: Just Days Away"

Hey Riders!

You should have received the latest News Bites, Ride Edition last Wednesday, May 4th, 2011. 

The newsletter contained some important last-minute information. It gave instructions to Riders who are now planning to not ride at all or ride only one day. For those of you that are planning to ride, the newsletter also gave a handy check-list of items to pack for this weekend.

Click HERE to visit the eNewsletters section of our website to view the May 4th News Bites, Ride Edition and previous ones in the archive.

Celia Kipp & the Last Ditch

Like what you hear? Wanna win a free 2-hour concert performed by Celia Kipp and the Last Ditch - an acoustic indie rock band hailing from Baltimore!

Rider Misty Letts is holding an auction for 2 hours of free live music by Celia Kipp and the Last Ditch. The band will even learn a song for you if you wish! Please submit bids directly to Misty Letts at letsmystifyu@aol.com by 5:00PM on May 13th. The winner will be announced on the following Monday after the Ride.

Details: Bidder responsible for location, applicable permits, electrical supply. Band responsible for sound system, punctuality, and playing two 1-hour sets with a 20-minute break. Band and bidder must determine convenient time.

Peace A Pizza Fundraiser for Pam & Scott

The Ride for the Feast is fast approaching - and that means we need to gear up and prepare with massive amounts of delicious carbs!

What is the best place to do this? Why, at Peace A Pizza in Catonsville (15 Mellor Ave, Catonsville MD) tomorrow, May 9th, from 5:00PM to 9:00PM. This is the latest addition to Catonsville's restaurant scene, and is super family-friendly. They make excellent pizza and salads - and really want to be a part of our community.

The restaurant will donate 20% of all sales to Ride for the Feast!

Remember - use this coupon to let the servers and the wait staff that 20% of your total bill - will be donated to Moveable Feast - in Scott Petrlik's name - to contribute to the ride.

You'll get to eat amazingly good pizza and help out the good hard working folks at Moveable Feast make Baltimore truly a Charm City!

RSVP to Pam at artdecogoddess@netscape.net if you can come!

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This Sunday: Crystal's Clothing Swap

HEY LADIES, spring is the perfect time to do some spring cleaning in your closet!

On Sunday, May 8th, bring your unwanted clothes and come swap them, hang out with cool girls, and help raise some money for a good cause - Crystal Guengerich's Ride!

There is a $10 suggested donation at the door (818 Powers St), which also gets you a raffle ticket to win a free 1-hour professional massage! Snacks and beverages provided.

Bring a friend, and your gently used clothes, accessories, books, CDs, and small household items.

Reminder: This is a LADIES ONLY event - sorry boys!

Click here for the official Facebook event.

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Diet Tribe at Mamma Lucia's

If you're not in Baltimore for the Field House event tonight, why don't you stop by the Mamma Lucia's in Fallsgrove (1492 Shady Grove Rd, Montgomery County) for dinner?

Team Diet Tribe will be there all day, collecting 8% of all sales! Featured team members are Jinee and Jason.

Come on out and enjoy some yummy Italian food!

Please remember: click here to access the flier (pdf) that you must present at the restaurant.

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Draggin' Asses on Cinco de Mayo

Team Hudson's Draggin' Asses is riding again for MOVEABLE FEAST!

Tonight, May 5th, 2011, come join them in a fun night at the FIELD HOUSE (2400 Boston Street) from 6:00PM to 9:00PM.

The Draggin Asses will be Guest Bartending.

All tips will benefit RIDE FOR THE FEAST!!

Come early

Stay late

Have a margarita to celebrate Cinco de Mayo!

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Sir Francis Brake at Howard's

Tomorrow, join Team Sir Francis Brake for good food, great drinks and a worthy cause on Cinco de Mayo!

Head on over after work for a fun time at Howard's in Mount Vernon (900 Cathedral St.) 15% of proceeds will benefit this team in Ride for the Feast!

click to enlarge

Check out Howard's on Facebook. Click here.

Click here for the event flier.

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Fierce Chicks at Parkside Fundraiser

On Saturday, May 7th, come support Fierce Chick Chelsey and Fierce Chick Neetu as they fundraise for Ride for the Feast.

Come to Parkside Sports Bar (2501 Fleet St.) anytime (or the entire time) from 2:00PM to 2:00AM on Saturday. With just a $2 cover, it's a great price for an afternoon and evening of fun!

There will be a ping-pong tournament, a potluck cook-off (if you bring a dish, cover is free), and a silent auction and raffle. The prizes are to die for, featuring a 7-day getaway vacation package to Croatia and a set of O's tickets!

For more information, please contact Chelsey (410-259-1928) or Neetu (410-330-4000).

click to enlarge

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Good Fellas at Saute for RFTF!

Do you know the Good Fellas? The Good Fellas of Baltimore are an incredible team of entrepreneurs and philanthropists who are working to improve Baltimore, one project and community at a time. Their reality show (which airs on WBFF Fox 45 on Saturdays at 1:00PM) is one-of-a-kind. In each episode, they partner with a Baltimore nonprofit to tackle a specific project and achieve tremendous goals. Best of all, they will be working with Moveable Feast in the near future, so keep an eye on your television screen.

The Good Fellas are also Riding for the Feast! This Thursday, May 5th, join the Good Fellas of Baltimore at Saute (2844 Hudson Street) for food and drink specials from 6:00PM to 9:00PM. Saute will donate 20% of the proceeds to Ride for the Feast.

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"2 Weeks 'til the Ride!"

Hey Riders!

You should have received our latest News Bites, Ride Edition from Amanda on Wednesday, April 27th, 2011. 

With just a few weeks left before the Ride for the Feast, this week's e-newsletter covered some important items - including ensuring transportation for yourself and your bike, a brief overview of the Ride weekend, and this Saturday's excellent outdoor training ride on the Eastern Shore. 

Topics Included:

1. Bus Transportation Deadline

2. Ride Weekend Overview 

3. Saturday's Training Ride

4. Reading Orientation Guide 

5. Outdoor Training Rides 

6. Family & Friends

7. Ride Stats

8. Coming Up This Week

9. Save the Date

10. Fundraiser Photos

Click HERE to visit the eNewsletters section of our website to view the April 27th News Bites, Ride Edition and previous ones in the archive.

Training Ride on the Eastern Shore

This Saturday's ride on the Eastern Shore will give you a good feel for what the actual Ride for the Feast will be like in terms of flatness (very flat) and windiness (really quite very windy).

The route gives you a number of mileage options: you can choose to do the full distance of 75 miles, a 45-mile version, or a 25-mile version; all are beautiful.  

We will start in Easton and ride to Oxford where we’ll catch the ferryboat to Bellevue. (You will need CASH for the ferry ride.) From Bellevue we head to St. Michaels and then out to Tilghman Island and back. Just after passing back through Easton, we will leave the main roads behind and hit some very pretty areas traveling along quiet back lanes and even past an original Little Red Schoolhouse.

Due to the length of this ride and the amount of time it will take us to finish it, we’re starting early. We will meet at the Easton starting point (about 1.5 hours from Baltimore) at 7:30AM with a ride out at 8:00AM sharp.

We will have two volunteers as our SAG drivers. Please bring a couple of bucks to help her cover the cost of gas.

 
TIMES: Ride out at 8:00AM sharp; please be there at 7:30AM to get ready.

WHERE: Food Lion Store parking lot in Easton, MD (about 1.5 hours from Baltimore).  

DIRECTIONS: 

• Take Rte. 50 east, across the Bay Bridge and continue to Easton 
• Bear right onto Rte. 322 (the Easton Bypass). 
• Go about 1.8 miles to the light just after the Food Lion.
• Turn left onto Marlboro Road and enter the Food Lion shopping center.
• We need to park at the edge of the parking lot closest to Rte. 322 and farthest away from the stores. I’ll be in a red Nissan Versa hatchback with a bike rack on it.

DISTANCE:
Up to 75 miles. The cue sheet has several shortcuts to reduce the miles to as low as 25 miles if you want. The most scenic route option gives you 45 miles to which you can add as much as you want of the out-and-back portion to Tilghman Island.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED: 

• Cash for the ferryboat. 
• A few bucks for the SAG driver.
• A bike, helmet, and water bottle are musts.
• A spare tube, and/or patch kit, and a working pump might come in very handy.

Wear clothing appropriate for the temperature. Dress in layers so you can remove or add layers as necessary to stay warm but not get overheated. It will probably be chilly at the start and warm up as the day goes on. As of right now, the forecast is a little uncertain—bring sunblock and a rain jacket. You will be able to shed layers and leave clothing with our car sweep. There are bathrooms at the starting point and at various points along the route. There are a number of options for food along the route. Usually riders stop at Mile 18.5 for coffee at Blue Crab in St. Michaels, and then have lunch in St. Michaels on the way back through town.

This ride will only be canceled if it’s raining very hard. 

If you have any questions, please call Becky Abernathy at 410-736-3970 or email at aberrebe@gmail.com. 

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Tomorrow: Bike Tune-Up Day!

Tomorrow, Thursday April 28th, come to Joe's Bike Shop in Fells Point (723-B South Broadway) at 7:30PM and get a full tuneup for only $50 - a $75 value! (Joe's Bike Shop is also a Ride for the Feast bike sponsor this year.)
A tune-up is not all you'll get - you'll also enjoy music, food, drinks, and fun with the rest of the Ride for the Feast gang.

Not sure if your bike REALLY needs a tune-up? Check out these bike readiness tips from Rider Jim Ventosa. We suggest that if you're not sure, get it tuned-up - better safe than sorry on the roads from  Ocean City during the weekend of the Ride.

All of tomorrow's tune-up proceeds will be donated to Ride for the Feast.

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Christopher Williams Benefit Concert

On Friday, April 29th 2011, enjoy a buffet dinner and concert featuring Nashville recording artist Christopher Williams. His music is known for its “lush guitar work, and sweet soaring vocals,” (Boston Phoenix) punctuated by the percussive vulnerability of a single African djembe hand drum.

Christopher Williams is currently on his nationwide tour, making a stop in Towson this Friday. Tickets are $50 and include the dinner, concert, Tango Wines, and Baltimore Craft Beer. This event benefits Riders Sarah Batley and Debbie Foreman.

To reserve your ticket and RSVP, contact Sarah Batley at sbbatley@gmail.com.

click to enlarge

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Team Atomic at Dr. Sketchy's - Success!

Team Atomic's fundraiser at Dr. Sketchy's Anti-Art School was a great success, raising around $400 for Ride for the Feast.

The event featured the lovely ladies of Team Atomic posing in this unique carabet-style drawing class.

Read the full story at the Dr. Sketchy's wordpress blogpost.

Next Saturday: Zumba for a Purpose

Team With A Purpose presents...

REGISTER NOW: ONLY 200 PEOPLE WILL BE ADMITTED TO THIS EVENT AND ONLY 50 ONSITE REGISTRATIONS WILL BE ALLOWED AT A HIGHER RATE

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THE ZUMBATHON:
You've heard about it, your friends have been raving about it - and now Team With A Purpose is offering you a chance to get a taste of the hottest group fitness movement in the country! ZUMBA is a fast-paced exercise class which combines Latin and international beats with enthusiastic skilled instructors who will get you moving and dancing your way to ultimate fitness. The 2011 TWAP Zumbathon will be led by TWAP rider Andres Bujanda, along with a team of other trained Zumba instructors from the Baltimore area. Get ready for an intensely fun three hour Zumbathon!

As with all TWAP events, the proceeds of the Zumbathon will go directly to Moveable Feast to support your Maryland neighbors affected by catastrophic illnesses. We ask that every registrant make a $20 donation to support this great cause ($25 after April 23, 2011) to support the fantastic mission of Moveable Feast.

To see how to register for this event, please click here: Team With A Purpose blog post



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