FAQ

  • GENERAL FAQ:

  • what ride cycling route distance location
    The Ride to End ALZ South Carolina is a unique 252-mile journey for cycling enthusiasts, previously known as A Ride to Remember. Our Group Ride features incredible support and camaraderie along the 3-day cross-state route to Charleston, SC. You can also ride at your own pace through our month-long Virtual Challenge. Either way, you'll fuel support services and cutting-edge research to change the trajectory of Alzheimer's disease.
  • location city state route date when

    The in-person Group Ride begins on July 8, 2022, in Simpsonville, SC, and ends on July 10, 2022, in Charleston, SC. Most riders participate in all 3 days, but you may choose to ride only 1 or 2 days. The ride is conducted on open roads, and motor vehicle traffic will be present. For more details, see the Group Ride Route and Logistics section below.

    The month-long Virtual Challenge takes place anytime July 1-31, 2022. Riders may participate from anywhere they choose (not limited to South Carolina) and ride any way that they choose. For more details, see the Virtual Challenge Logistics section below.

  • Simply put, that's how long it takes to get there! Since 2009, riders have been pedaling from Simpsonville, SC, to Charleston, SC, to raise funds for Alzheimer's research, care and support. While the route is tweaked from year to year, the total mileage has always been around 252 miles. When the Virtual Challenge was introduced early in the Covid-19 pandemic, we kept the same mileage from the traditional in-person event.
  • KEYWORD
    From the moment you register, our Volunteer Planning Committee and Staff will support you with tips and coaching to help you reach your fundraising goals and cross the finish line. Our Group Ride is a fully supported event, offering:
      - Medical and mechanical support
      - Rest stops every 10-15 miles with water, Gatorade and snacks
      - Large directional signs (with exception of downtown Charleston)
      - Moisture resistant printed cue sheets with emergency contact information
      - Multiple Support and Gear (SAG) vehicles, including a sweeper that will never pass the final rider
      - Police escort in key traffic areas
      - Luggage transport
      - Friendly, smiling volunteers ready to help with additional needs
  • KEYWORD
    While we welcome riders of all fitness and skill levels, less experienced cyclists are strongly encouraged to participate through our month-long Virtual Challenge. The Group Ride is a 3-day cross-state route for avid road cyclists, and even experienced cyclists may find it challenging. Newer cyclists have certainly completed the Group Ride, but adequate training and preparation is essential to your success and the safety of everyone on the road.
  • KEYWORD
    The Virtual Challenge makes Ride to End ALZ South Carolina more accessible for cyclists who might not consider the traditional 3-day Group Ride due to mileage, time commitment, out-of-state travel, or summer weather. While our traditional Group Ride is focused on road cycling, we welcome cyclists of all kinds to participate in the Virtual Challenge. Whether you are a road cyclist, a casual cruiser, a spin/Peloton enthusiast or a mountain biker, the Virtual Challenge is a great way for you to ride anytime, anywhere and any way while advancing the fight to #ENDALZ.
  • KEYWORD
    All participants must be 18 years of age to participate.
  • KEYWORD
    Absolutely! It takes a lot of people to make our 3-day Group Ride happen. All volunteers are required to submit our Volunteer Form by June 24th. Volunteers are also welcome to register for the Virtual Challenge to help collect donations in support of the Alzheimer's Association.
  • REGISTRATION:

  • KEYWORD
    Register online here. The deadline to register for the Group Ride is July 1st. There is no deadline to register for the Virtual Challenge.
  • KEYWORD
    The registration fee for the Group Ride is $50 earlybird rate through March 1, 2022, and $100 thereafter, regardless of the number of days you plan to ride. This fee counts as a self-donation toward your fundraising goal. There is no registration fee to participate in the Virtual Challenge.
  • KEYWORD
    For the Group Ride, each rider is responsible for raising a minimum of $750, with your registration fee counting as a self-donation toward your goal. The fundraising minimum must be met by the time of event check-in in order to ride, unless waived by team Sponsorship. There is no fundraising commitment for the Virtual Challenge, but all participants are encouraged to fundraise to earn the t-shirt and incentive cycling gear. Learn more in the Incentive Gear section below.
  • KEYWORD
    Beyond the fun of riding with friends, many teams create their own jerseys, pack special snacks to share and cheer each other on. In addition, Sponsored teams can waive registration fees for a number of team members, based on the Sponsorship level. Learn more about Sponsorship benefits.
  • KEYWORD
    Notify Ride staff immediately at ridesc@alz.org if you know you can't participate. You will not be responsible for any fundraising minimum if you do not ride with us on Ride day. Registration fees and donations are non-refundable and help advance the research, care and support efforts of the Alzheimer's Association.
  • FUNDRAISING:

  • KEYWORD
    Our online tools and mobile app, accessible in your Ride Hub, make it easy to get started immediately after you register. In addition, our Volunteer Planning Committee and Staff will reach out to offer you tips and coaching. Check out the Website Support section below to learn how to update your fundraising page, create a Facebook Fundraiser and more.
  • KEYWORD
    The funds raised through Ride to End ALZ South Carolina benefit the care, support and research efforts of the Alzheimer's Association. Learn more about how we put your dollars to work.
  • KEYWORD
    Donations can be made online. Checks or money orders may be mailed to the Alzheimer's Association, Attn: Ride to End ALZ SC, 4600 Park Rd, Suite 250, Charlotte, NC 28209. Please submit your personalized offline donation form with each gift, which can be printed from your fundraising website. Donations can also be turned in upon check-in for the ride. Please do not send cash by mail.
  • phone android app iphone
    The Ride mobile app helps keep your fundraising fully supported, on and off the bike. You can edit your page, share updates with your friends, fundraise on-the-go and track your progress so that you can go the distance. Plus, you can track your training activity by engaging in Motion Challenges and learn more about our mission to end Alzheimer's. You can download the app from the App Store, or Google Play.
  • phone android
    Log in to your Ride Hub at alz.org/ride with your username and password. Select "Dashboard" and select Step #4 under the "Reach Your Goal" section to get started. Once you've downloaded the app, simply log in using the username and password you created when you registered. The Ride app is full of tools and templates to make fundraising on-the-go like coasting down a hill.
  • KEYWORD
    The Alzheimer's Association is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Donations are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. Our federal tax ID number is 13-3039601.

    Online donors will receive an email receipt immediately.

    Check donors will receive a paper acknowledgment in the mail.
  • KEYWORD

    Yes, Ride accepts matching gift funds, insofar as your donation complies with your employer's matching gift policy. To find out if your employer matches donations made to the Alzheimer's Association, please visit http://www.matchinggifts.com/alz/ and enter the company name. Note that the donor is responsible for following up with their employer to apply for the matching funds, according to the company's policy.

    When applying for the matching funds to be sent to the Alzheimer's Association, please specify that you would like your donation credited to Ride to End ALZ South Carolina, as well as the name of the rider who should receive the credit. Please note that matching funds can take weeks or months to process and appear on our website, so please notify us at ridesc@alz.org if you intend for the match to count toward your fundraising minimum or incentive gear levels.

  • KEYWORD
    Contact us at ridesc@alz.org. If we are nearing incentive deadlines, please notify us ASAP if you intend for the match to count toward your fundraising minimum or incentive gear levels.
  • INCENTIVE GEAR:

  • KEYWORD
    For Group Ride participants, the t-shirt is included in your registration fee and will be available at registration or packet pick-up. For Virtual Challenge participants, anyone who reaches the recommended fundraising goal of $252 will receive the t-shirt via mail beginning in July and continuing on a rolling basis as Virtual Challenge riders reach the $252 fundraising milestone.
  • KEYWORD
    For both participant types, we award exclusive Hincapie cycling gear for reaching the following fundraising milestones.
    • $750 earns the jersey (your choice of race cut, club cut or sleeveless)
    • $1,250 earns matching shorts or bibshorts (your choice)
    • $1,750 earns matching cycling gloves
    • $2,500 earns matching cycling vest
  • KEYWORD
    To receive earned Hincapie gear in time for the Group Ride, fundraising milestones must be reached by May 1, 2022. This gear will be available at event registration or packet pick-up for the Group Ride, or mailed to Virtual Challenge participants. The final deadline to earn incentive gear or other top fundraising prizes will be July 31, 2022. All gear earned after the pre-ride deadline will be ordered after July 31 and shipped to participants in October 2022.
  • GROUP RIDE ROUTE AND LOGISTICS:

  • KEYWORD
    The Group Ride is a road cycling event along South Carolina roadways. We encourage cyclists to ride road bikes. For safety and suitability, we discourage the use of triathlon bikes, TT (time trial) bikes, mountain bikes, hybrids, or cruisers.
  • KEYWORD
    Yes, we'll have rest stops every 10-15 miles with water, Gatorade and snacks. In addition, sag vehicles will be in operation for the duration of the ride, including medical support, mechanical support, and a sweeper that will never pass the final rider. Please note: for safety and coordination, anyone who intends to drive a sag vehicle along the route MUST sign up as a volunteer by July 1st.
  • KEYWORD
    Please be familiar with our guidelines for group riding, available by logging into the Ride Hub after registering. If your bike has aero bars, only ride in the aero position when you are away from other cyclists. Riding in aero position is prohibited within a group. This is for your safety and others around you.
  • KEYWORD
    We ride rain or shine, so please pack your rain gear! In the event of extremely severe weather, we will send our buses to pick up riders along the route as quickly as possible. Our riders usually finish the route each day by around 3 PM, before the typical summer-evening thunderstorms pop up.
  • KEYWORD
    Emergency phone numbers will be provided each morning on moisture-resistant cue sheets. Please be sure to grab each day's cue sheet and bring your mobile phone with you during the ride.
  • KEYWORD

    The ride is conducted on open roads across South Carolina, and motor vehicle traffic will be present. Check out route descriptions on our Routes page or view detailed maps via the Ride With GPS links below:

    Friday, July 8, 2022 | Simpsonville to Newberry | 64.6 miles (hilly)

    Saturday, July 9, 2022 | Newberry to Orangeburg | 87.8 miles (hilly)

    Sunday, July 10, 2022 | Orangeburg to Charleston | 102.8 miles (flat)

    You can also download the Ride With GPS app to view these routes on your mobile device using an interactive mapping application. This is a great way to navigate a practice run of the route or have backup navigation handy on the day of the ride.

  • KEYWORD
    For the safety of all riders and volunteers, riders are expected to complete each day's ride by 4:00 PM.
  • KEYWORD
    The route will be marked with signs wherever possible, but it is still important to reference the cue sheets. Moisture-resistant cue sheets will be provided to you each morning of the ride, and the ride leader will give an overview of the route, highlighting water and lunch stops, any potential confusing turns, etc. Due to city rules, there will be no route signs in downtown Charleston.
  • GROUP RIDE MEALS:

  • KEYWORD
    Yes, meals are provided each day of the Group Ride, including vegetarian and gluten-free options. On Day 1, light breakfast items and water fill-up are available in the check-in area; on Days 2 & 3, breakfast will be available at designated lodging locations. Water, Gatorade, snacks and peanut-butter-jelly sandwiches are provided along the route. Lunch and celebratory beverages are provided at the finish line each day. We also provide dinner each evening for riders and volunteers.
  • KEYWORD

    Vegetarian and gluten-free options will be available at all dinners. Beer and wine will be available at Sunday's celebration dinner only. Bus transportation will be provided for riders without cars.

    Friday: Pasta dinner at Newberry College Eleazer Gymnasium, 5:30 PM

    Saturday: BBQ Chicken & fixins at Orangeburg First Baptist Church Family Life Center, 6:00 PM (hosted by Orangeburg Rotary Club and Orangeburg Lions Club)

    Sunday: Celebration & awards dinner, location TBA, 6:30 PM.

  • KEYWORD
    Meals are complimentary for all Group Ride participants and registered volunteers. Guest dinner tickets are available by advanced purchase only through July 1.
  • GROUP RIDE TRANSPORTATION & LODGING:

  • KEYWORD
    Yes. However, NO overnight parking will be permitted at Heritage Park or City Park. Riders needing to leave cars at the start will need to park at Hampton Inn Simpsonville, located at 3934 Grandview Dr, Simpsonville. We will provide a shuttle to transport you the few short miles to Heritage Park. Shuttle service will be at 7:30 AM, so please plan accordingly.
  • KEYWORD
    There are no restrictions on bag size, but please keep in mind that volunteers will need to be able to lift your bag. Due to limited cargo space on our buses, personal coolers are discouraged. Please be sure to label bags and any personal items (such as pumps) with your name and tag your luggage each day with the appropriate color for your destination lodging (lodging tags provided).
  • KEYWORD

    Bus transportation from Charleston to Simpsonville is available to riders on July 7 and July 11. Group Ride participants should indicate your bus plans when you register; you can edit your response in your Participant Center by clicking "Update Question Responses".

    Thursday, July 7th- Bus will load at Hampton Inn Patriots Point (255 Sessions Way, Mt. Pleasant, SC) at 2 PM and will depart for Hampton Inn Simpsonville at 3 PM.

    Monday, July 11th- Bus will load at Hampton Inn Patriots Point (255 Sessions Way, Mt. Pleasant, SC) at 8:30 AM and will depart for Heritage Park at 9 AM.

    If you need to leave a vehicle at Hampton Inn Patriots Point, you are welcome to do so.

  • KEYWORD
    Rider transportation and luggage pickup will be coordinated each day only for these designated discounted lodging locations. Riders are encouraged to book lodging early if bus transportation is needed to dinner or to the start line. If you've made alternate lodging arrangements, you may drop off your luggage at the ride start and pick it up at the end location each day.
  • KEYWORD
    Lodging is the responsibility of each rider. To assist with your arrangements, discounted lodging information is available here.
  • WEBSITE SUPPORT:

  • KEYWORD
    Inside your Ride Hub, you will find tools to help you meet and exceed your Ride goals. You will be able to edit your personal fundraising page and share your story with friends and family.
  • KEYWORD
    Click on the "Log In" link and enter your username and password that you selected at the time of registration.
  • KEYWORD
    If you're having trouble with our website, please contact our support team.
  • KEYWORD
    Visit alz.org/ride, and click "Log In" in the top right corner (or "Ride Hub" if you are already logged in). Once logged in, a menu will slide out on the right. Click the "Edit My Profile" option near the bottom of your screen.
  • KEYWORD
    Connect your fundraising efforts directly to your Facebook account in the Ride Hub or on your Ride app home screen. But first, we suggest that you edit your personal page to share your reason for riding.

    Log in to your Ride Hub at alz.org/ride or the Ride app with your username and password.
    • Ride Hub: Select "My Page" and scroll down to edit and save your story.
    • Ride App: Select "Edit Pages" and "Personal" for quick editing on-the-go.

    Then return to the "Home" screen and proceed to "Connect Fundraiser to Facebook". You will be prompted to log in to Facebook and click OK to allow permissions to link to your page. Then your friends will easily be able to support you by donating through Facebook.
  • KEYWORD
    First, log in to your Ride Hub at alz.org/ride with your username and password. Select "Community" to be directed to our exclusive online Ride Community.
  • KEYWORD
    We suggest that you edit your personal page to share your motivation for riding.
    • Ride Hub: Log in to your Ride Hub at alz.org/ride with your username and password. Select "My Page" and scroll down to edit and save your story.
    • Ride App: Log in to your Ride App with your username and password. Select “Edit Pages” and “Personal” for quick editing on-the-go.
    • Pro Tip: Fundraisers who add a personal story and photo raise more money, on average, than participants who don't.
  • KEYWORD
    • Ride Hub: Log in to your Ride Hub at alz.org/ride with your username and password. Select "My Progress" to see who has supported you.
    • Ride app: Log in to the Ride App and select "Donations". Review the list under "My Donations".
  • KEYWORD
    • Ride Hub: Log in to your Ride Hub at alz.org/ride with your username and password. Select "My Team" and scroll down to see your team roster.
    • Ride app: Log in to the Ride App and select "Team". Team captains can scroll down to see a listing of all team members.
  • KEYWORD
    • Ride Hub: If you are on a team, log in to your Ride Hub and visit the Email section. Near the bottom of the page, click the link to "send email through your Ride Hub." Go to the Contacts tab and use "Teammates" filter to identify your team members. Select all of your team members and click "Email."
    • Ride app: Team captains can contact their Team via the mobile app. Log in and select "Team". Then select the "Contact Team" button. This will take you to the email client on your phone and all of your teammates email addresses will be populated in the bcc line (to protect their privacy).
  • KEYWORD
    To edit the Team Name, you must be a captain of the team
    • Ride Hub: If you are on a team, log into your Ride Hub on alz.org/ride and click the edit icon next to your Team Name in the top left corner.
    • Ride app: Log in and select “Team”. Then select the pencil icon next to “Edit Team Name” button, enter your new team name, and choose “Save”.
  • KEYWORD
    To edit the Team Goal, you must be a captain of the team
    • Ride Hub: Log in to your Ride Hub and find the "Team Progress" bar on the Dashboard. Under the progress bar, click the edit icon next to "Our Goal".
    • Ride app: Log into the mobile app with your username and password and find the "My Fundraising Progress" section on the home screen. Select the pencil icon next to the Team Goal.
  • KEYWORD
    We do not recommend making your personal page private. A private personal page will not show up when a friend or family member performs a search on our website. Keeping your page public allows you to be found by friends and family who want to support your journey and donate to your Ride.
  • KEYWORD
    • Ride Hub: Use the Ride app to scan the check. This is the quickest way for fundraising donations to be reflected on your Ride page. Most appear instantly, but some may take up to 48 hours. Click "Donations" and then "Enter Donations" and then "Check Deposit." Just like online banking, you can scan both sides of the check and the name and amount will be added to your fundraising total. You can download the app from the App Store, or Google Play.
    • Ride app: Log in and select "My Page" and then select the "View My Page" button. Scroll down and under "My Donors" you will see a Donate via Mail link. That will allow you to download your offline donation form. Send in any checks or offline donations with this form.
  • KEYWORD
    We sure can! Please contact our support team for assistance.
  • KEYWORD
    We sure can! Please contact our support team.
  • OTHER QUESTIONS:

  • KEYWORD
    Do not hesitate to reach out to ridesc@alz.org with any questions, concerns or suggestions you may have.

252
MILES
Advancing
Research, Care
& Support

Your participation fuels the Association's efforts to discover methods of treatment and prevention for Alzheimer's and other dementias, while providing round-the-clock care and support.


BACK TO TOP