The Buzzards Bay Watershed Ride provides one of the most scenic coastal cycling courses in all of New England, and it returns for its 15th year on Sunday, October 3. Cyclists of all ages and abilities can sign up now to bike 35, 75, or 100 miles at the Buzzards Bay Watershed Ride by visiting www.savebuzzardsbay.org/ride.
Participants who sign up before Monday, April 5 will save 50 percent on the registration, too.
The Watershed Ride is a fun community event that supports a great cause: clean water in Buzzards Bay. More than 300 cyclists participate in the Watershed Ride each year, pedaling through 11 coastal communities and passing more than 3,300 acres of conservation land protected by the Buzzards Bay Coalition and other conservation organizations.
“The ride is the highlight of the fall because it brings together so many people who are excited to be outdoors enjoying the beauty of our Buzzards Bay watershed region, and it celebrates the resources we are working to protect for the future,” said Mark Rasmussen, president of the Coalition. “Last year’s ride was a great success, despite the changes we made to adapt to the pandemic. We’re looking forward to an even better event this year.”
In 2021, the Coalition plans to return to its traditional 100-mile route. Starting at Sakonnet Point, it travels past coastal farms and villages, picking up the 75-mile riders at Horseneck Beach State Reservation in Westport, and the 35-mile riders at idyllic East Over Farm in Rochester. All three route options finish at a waterfront celebration in Woods Hole on Cape Cod. With a fun food truck lunch stop, water and snack stations every 20 miles, ace bike mechanics on the route, and shuttles for both people and bikes, cyclists are well cared for and supported. Details on the finish line festivities will be determined closer to the date of the event.
Marion resident Daniel J. Cooney plans to be part of the ride, along with other members of the cycling team that he led last year. “Team Naughty by Nature will be back and better and stronger than ever for this year’s Buzzards Bay Watershed Ride,” he said. “We came for the incredible ride and volunteers and are staying for the cause of a swimmable, sustainable bay. We can’t wait to (lovingly) trash talk the strong, generous, and capable teams that will ride along with us in October. Game on!”
Last year, riders like Cooney collectively raised more than $200,000 to support the Coalition. Each rider raises a minimum of $300, and prizes go to riders and teams that raise the highest totals. Many riders participate as members of a team. The teams are organized by friends, such as the “Naughty X Nature” team; community organizations, such as the “Bourne Rail Trail Blazers” and the “South Coast Bike Alliance,” and local companies, such as Hutker Architects, Blount Seafood, and Stone Path Malt.
To sign up for the Buzzards Bay Watershed Ride, visit www.savebuzzardsbay.org/ride.