About Bike MS

Bike Event Handbook

Bike MS Scenic Ride 2009 - is a fully supported, two-day bicycle ride through some of the most scenic countryside and quaint small towns between Omaha and Lincoln to raise funds and awareness for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Nebraska Chapter.

Route information - Participants in the Bike MS Scenic Ride Omaha to Lincoln have different abilities and to accommodate as many riders as possible the Bike MS Scenic Ride has different routes each date. (See Route Information Page).

Take Part in the Bike MS Scenic Ride Poker Run 2009 during the Bike MS event and play to win! See Poker Run 2009 Page for more details.

Water Stops are located along the route approximately every 10-15 miles. They are equipped with fruit and snacks that cover a range of nutritional dietary concerns including: energy bars, water, sports drinks, fruit, protein, etc. We are very lucky to have several local vendors to support us with in-kind donations. Rest stops are a great way to gain company exposure, get your employees involved (as volunteers) and have a great time while you are at it! We provide the food and drinks and you provide the volunteers and fun. Please contact Alison Frazier, Bike MS Intern at 505-4000 ext. 114 or e-mail her at alison.frazier@nmss.org if you have additional donation opportunities or for more information on sponsoring a rest stop.

Water Stop Competition Cyclists will be welcomed with themes at each water stop. More information about the “Best Decorated Water Stop” will be posted soon!

The overnight Team Village Celebration at Nebraska Wesleyan University will feature several festivities to include food, entertainment, award ceremony, massages, VIP Tent and lodging - camping outdoors (bring your own tent) and residence hall lodging (additional fee), or offsite accommodations at a local hotel. Dinner is from 6:00 p.m. -8:00 p.m. with the celebration lasting until 9:00.
A local establishment names Risky’s Sports Bar & Grill www.riskysbar.com (three blocks from campus) will be open after the Team Tent Celebration event for food/drinks and socializing but,
is not supported by the MS Society.

Overnight Accommodations at Nebraska Wesleyan University -
Residence Halls Accommodations are available for $28.00 per person. Please indicate if you want a single or double occupancy. Rooms include towels and linens.
*Please bring your own shower supplies/toiletries and pillows as they are not provided.

Camping Accommodations are available for $28.00 per person providing space on grassy campus grounds for tents. Restrooms & shower facilities are available. Contingency plan - Rooms have been set aside for lodging in the residence halls at Nebraska Wesleyan. Campers have up until 7:00 p.m. Saturday evening, May 30^th to change your accommodations to a room in the residence hall due to bad weather conditions.

Hotel Accommodations are available at the Chase Suite Hotel, 200 S. 68th St. PL, Lincoln, NE 68510. Reservations can be made by calling (888) 433-6183. Mention you’re with the Bike MS Ride Event and request the “Nebraska Wesleyan Discount Rate” to get the $79.00 price. Contact Roxanne, Hotel Manager, if you have any questions.


Check out the Chase Suite Hotel website for more information: http://www.chasehotellincoln.com/

*Shuttle transportation will be provided by the MS Society to and from the hotel.

Reservations Please contact Alison Frazier, Bike MS Intern at 505-4000 ext. 114 or e-mail her at alison.frazier@nmss.org as soon as possible to reserve your space for a residence hall or tent space. Reservations are based on a first come first serve basis so please call and register before May 13^th to guarantee your room!

Luggage Luggage will be loaded at the start point (Concordia High School) in Omaha and dropped off at (Nebraska Wesleyan University) in Lincoln. Cyclists can claim their luggage at the field house where bicycles will also be stored. On Sunday, luggage will be loaded on the truck and brought back to the end point/finish line in Omaha (Concordia High School).

Team Tent - Every team has the opportunity to have a team tent in the Team Village finish/start/overnight area. Here’s how you can win a tent for your team!

• Top Team Revenue The team that raises the most dollars online by May 13^th receives a free 20’ x 20’ tent and space reserved for your team.
• Top Cyclist Fundraising Average - The Team with the highest per cyclist’s average (total revenue divided by registered team members) online by May 13^th receives a 10’ x 10’ tent and space reserved for your team.

Look for an e-mail to notify your team if you are a winner!

Additionally, if you’re not one of the lucky tent winners from above, 10’ x 10’ tent space in the Team Village can be rented for $25.00.
Please contact Alison Frazier, Bike MS Intern at 505-4000 ext. 114 or e-mail her at alison.frazier@nmss.org as soon as possible to order.
Have friends and guests bring folding chairs, coolers, snacks and drinks for a great place to meet amongst riders, friends and families.
A company or team logo is a symbol of pride. It represents power and prestige. Bring your corporate banner and hang it in your tent for everyone to see.

Organized Team Photos, Photography and Videography - Many teams will want to capture the fun and excitement of the Bike MS Ride and Team Photos to purchase and share in the future. Veteran photographer Dave Jenkins from Midwestphotopro will capture this event with team photos between the hours of 6:00 a.m. 7:00 a.m. on Saturday morning at Concordia High School start line. Video and candid portraits along the route of the first day ride will be shown at the Team Village Celebration Saturday evening. Photos will be available for purchase from the website after the event. Contact Dave at 315-4349 if you have questions about video and photography coverage.

For questions or purchase, contact Dave at 315-4349 or midwestphotopro@gmail.com for details.

Bike MS Facts

Established in 1980, the National MS Society’s Bike MS ride is the country's largest organized charity bicycling event series.

Between March and November, nearly 100 cycling events are offered by National MS Society chapters. Bike MS rides are produced in a variety of formats including one-day rides, two-day rides and cross-state happenings. Visit bikeMS.org to view our 100 rides throughout the country.

Forming a team allows corporations, friends and family members, schools and organizations to come together to help us move toward a world free of MS.

In 2008, bike events across the country raised nearly $77 million, and the Nebraska Chapter event itself raised nearly $143,000. In 2009, we hope to raise more than $202,500.00 with the help of people who want to do something about MS now.

Money raised through Bike MS goes toward research to find a cause, cure and improved treatments for the 400,000 Americans living with the MS.

About MS

Multiple sclerosis interrupts the flow of information between the brain and the body and it stops people from moving. Every hour in the United States, someone is newly diagnosed with MS, an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system.

Symptoms range from numbness and tingling to blindness and paralysis. The progress, severity and specific symptoms of MS in any one person cannot yet be predicted, but advances in research and treatment are moving us closer to a world free of MS.

Most people with MS are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, with more than twice as many women as men being diagnosed with the disease. MS affects more than 400,000 people in the U.S. and 2.5 million worldwide.

Early and ongoing treatment with an FDA-approved therapy can make a difference for people with multiple sclerosis. Learn about your options by talking to your health care professional and contacting the National MS Society at nationalMSsociety.org or 1-800-344-4867.

About the National MS Society

MS stops people from moving. The National MS Society exists to make sure it doesn’t. We help each person address the challenges of living with MS.

To move us closer to a world free of MS, the Society also invested more than $46 million to support 380 research projects around the world. We are people who want to do something about MS NOW. Join the movement at nationalMSsociety.org.

About the Nebraska Chapter

The Nebraska Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society serves more than 7,500 people in Nebraska and Pottawattamie County, Iowa. The Chapter supports research into the cure, prevention and treatment of MS and provides programs and services to help improve the quality of life for those with MS.

The Nebraska Chapter provides programs, services and activities in areas such as knowledge, health and independence to empower those affected by multiple sclerosis. Chapter programs are made possible by our fundraising success.