First leg of Walgreens' Ride On For Red Nose Day about to kick off
DEERFIELD, Ill. — Pro-level cyclists, individuals and groups will be pedaling across the country throughout May in Ride On For Red Nose Day events, raising funds to help end child poverty, Walgreens noted in a release Friday.
Ride On For Red Nose Day, powered by Walgreens and PeopleForBikes in support of Red Nose Day and in honor of National Bike Month, is a series of bicycle-related activities and challenges for riders across America who are passionate about helping children in need.
“We are eager to hit the road with Ride On for Red Nose Day, an exciting initiative we are proud to introduce this year with PeopleForBikes,” stated Alex Gourlay, co-chief operating officer of Walgreens Boots Alliance. “It’s a wonderful way of getting communities together and helping people be happy and healthy, while making an impact on the effort to end child poverty. These rides continue our commitment to the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals to support wellbeing around the world, for which we were honored last year with the Global Leadership Award from the UN Foundation."
Ride On For Red Nose Day Road Rides, multi-day cycling events being held on the West Coast and East Coast, bring together pro-level cyclists who will tackle challenging, four-day routes to raise tens of thousands of dollars in support of Red Nose Day. Ride On For Red Nose Day Road Rides give participants the opportunity to experience a fully-supported, professional grade cycling expedition through spectacular scenery.
Participants will ride with several notable cyclists and athletes, including:
Award-winning chef and cyclist Seamus Mullen;
Professional racing cyclist Jeremy Powers;
US National Team cyclist Janel Holcomb; and
Ride On event series founder and professional racing cyclist Tim Johnson.
Ride On For Red Nose Day Road Ride participants will pedal 400 miles along each route to help children in need. Representatives from Walgreens, PeopleForBikes and members of the communities along the way will also participate in their journey and experience.
The West Coast leg starts with a rider Meet and Greet in Santa Barbara at East Beach commencing at 11 a.m. local time on April 30 followed by the first leg around Santa Barbara County. Then on Day 2, riders will head out through the hills surrounding Ojai, through Santa Clarita’s avocado groves and around the rim of the Mojave Desert, before a final approach into Las Vegas through the Red Rock Canyon on May 3. Riders will make their way down Las Vegas Boulevard and end their journey at a rider congratulatory rally with members of the local community, among other special guests.
The East Cost leg kicks off from Boston on May 21, where riders will head west through Massachusetts’ “Happy Valley” toward Saratoga Springs, N.Y. The ride tours some of the Northeast’s most classic roads and along the Hudson River Valley, arriving at Herald Square Park in New York City on the afternoon of May 24, just in time to celebrate Red Nose Day on May 25.