I’m excited to launch my fundraising page for the 36th annual Ben to the Shore Bike Tour.
The Ben to the Shore Bike Tour is the event that helped solidify my desire to complete the Ruthless Performance Ride America in 2019, which was a 4,000 cycling journey, completed over the course of 43 days.
Even though the initial climbs over the Ben Franklin Bridge and through south-central New Jersey turn into a flat expanse as the Atlantic approaches, this is a rough route.
Late July temps are compounded by the heat on the blacktop. Hydration opportunities will be limited to what I’m carrying on the bike since this year I plan to minimize my rest stops to make the best time–although this will have the added benefit of finishing the route earlier in the day, before the sweltering coastal sunshine reaches its daily peak.
You can read about last year’s tour, where I rode with my pitbull, Kronos, making him the first dog to complete the full 65-mile course here. Rather than carrying along an extra 80 lb of dog and dog trailer weight this year, I will instead be attempting to place in the top 25 finishers of the ride.
But I need your help. I am trying to raise $1,000 for the charity at the heart of this ride–and trying to do so rapidly. I am only posting about this publicly just 10 days prior to the start of this year’s tour.
John & Kronos before the start of the 2022 ‘Ben to the Shore Bike Tour’
John’s team the Jim Thorper’s receive a police escort around Philadelphia City Hall prior to arriving at the start-line.
Kronos was a fan favorite at the starting line as well as at the rest stops.
The Ben Franklin Bridge–the first and most formidable climb on the ride.
