In three short weeks, the second annual West Kootenay Glacier Challenge MS Bike tour takes place. The two-day bike tour, which starts and finishes in New Denver, traverses 222 kilometres around Kootenay Glacier, through Kaslo, with an overnight in Nelson, and then back to New Denver.
The West Kootenay Glacier Challenge is a pledge based fundraising event, hosted by the West Kootenay Chapter of the MS Society. Last year’s tour raised over $70,000 to fund innovative programs and services and support research dedicated to finding a cure for multiple sclerosis.
The West Kootenay Glacier Challenge hopes to raise over $70,000 again this year. There is still time to register for or donate to the August 17 through 18 event, at www.msbiketours.ca.
This year, for the second year in a row, area resident Richard Ames will ride. And for his second attempt, he has formed a team, including fellow area residents David Hodsall and David Everest.
MS Bike is the largest cycling series event in North America. Last year 12,000 people participated in MS Bike events across Canada, and our local West Kootenay Chapter held its inaugural Glacier Challenge, which is one of the longest (and most difficult) of all the MS Bike events.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) can cause loss of balance, impaired speech, extreme fatigue, double vision and paralysis. It is the most common neurological disease affecting young adults in Canada. There is no cure for MS, but researchers are getting closer to finding the cause.