Big (and exciting) changes coming to the 2018 Ride for Major Taylor

Here at Cascade HQ, the events team is cranking away at the planning and production of our 2018 rides and events. Before the beginning of each event season, our creative juices begin flowing as we think about how to improve the quality of our events and enhance the rider experience. This year, the ride experiencing the most change is the Ride for Major Taylor. In the original iteration of the ride, we focused on highlighting the communities that the Major Taylor Project students call home on a short, 24-mile loop that started and finished in vibrant White Center. This year, we’re taking it a step further and crafting an exciting riding experience that will help us to streamline fundraising for the Major Taylor Project. Why should you #RideForMajorTaylor this year? Read on to find out!

To support a good cause 

Did you know that your registration dollars from any Cascade event you participate in helps to fund our day-to-day operations? The Ride for Major Taylor is the biggest annual fundraiser for the Major Taylor Project, and 60 percent of your registration fee will go straight to the work that we do in 17 schools in the Greater Seattle and Tacoma areas. Every dollar makes a difference in the lives of our students: it takes $100 to send one MTP student on their Seattle to Portland journey and $750 for just one bike, but as little as $40 to fuel a school’s bike clubs on Clif Bars for three weeks. So when you see one of our students cross the STP finish line or out on a group ride in their neighborhood, know that YOU are helping to make it possible!

To ride a brand new (south end!) route

Never before in the history of Cascade Bicycle Club have we run a cycling event in Tacoma or on Vashon Island, but this year’s Ride for Major Taylor will be exploring new territory by hitting both! The 60-mile ride will still start and finish in White Center but will meander through quiet and scenic South King County and Pierce County’s Puget Sound coastline. A rest stop in Tacoma will allow riders to take a quick break before hopping across to Vashon Island via the Point Defiance ferry terminal. After landing in Tahlequah, riders will be able to enjoy the low traffic and greenery until they arrive at the Vashon ferry terminal. A quick ferry ride to Fauntleroy rounds out this scenic ride before a last hilly stretch back to White Center. 

To kickstart a New Year’s Resolution

Don’t worry, we haven’t forgotten about your New Year’s resolution to train for the Seattle to Portland ride this summer! All jokes aside, at 60 miles, this year’s Ride for Major Taylor is the perfect training ride for any of your other big 2018 riding goals. Terrain is hilly from start to finish and is the perfect challenge for an intermediate rider looking to test their endurance and riding skills to prepare for a successful riding season this spring and summer. Check out our route map on Ride With GPS here!

To ride with our Major Taylor students

The Ride for Major Taylor falls at the beginning of ride season training for all of our MTP ride clubs, so chances are you’ll see a handful of students cranking out this ride in preparation for something even bigger. Last year we had 64 students ride the Seattle to Portland, and eight of them completed it in one day! One of our MTP students talked about his experience conquering this bucket list ride:

"Riding in the STP to me is not only a fun experience; it’s the kind of experience that not everyone has a chance to do, and if it wasn’t for the Major Taylor Project and MTP staff, I wouldn’t have had that experience. Considering I have done the STP two times, I have met so many different kinds of people. The second time I did the STP it was in one day, and it was a whole different kind of experience from the first time doing it in two days. My favorite part about the one-day experience was being able to cheer on the rest of the Major Taylor students as they were finishing." - Dashawn, MTP student

To enjoy delicious goodies  

What would a ride through South King County and Tacoma be without tasty local treats? Paying a premium price to support the Major Taylor Project has its perks. Keep your eyes open for gourmet local fare and snacks on route—a step up from your standard bananas. (Don’t worry, we’ll have those too!)

We’ve got a lot in store for you! Hope to see you out on the road. To register for the Ride for Major Taylor and to learn more, visit our event website.

Interested in a more in-depth look at how the Major Taylor Project inspires students to ride? Check out Leah's STP journey.