Night Bike Ride to Help Scouts in Local Council
A quick chat with an Aurora area newsmaker
If a charity bike ride under the glare of the morning sun sounds daunting, consider Chase the Moon.
The distance ride to benefit Boy Scouts of America’s Three Fires Council happens in the coolness of night.
Organizer Pam Bellm, executive director of the Aurora Public Library Foundation, said she plans for sponsorships to underwrite the cost of the ride, allowing all riders’ fees to go directly to the Scouts.
The council serves Scouts in most of DuPage County, as well as those in Kane, Kendall and DeKalb counties.
Where did you get the idea to have a night ride?
The late night bike ride is not an original idea. It was already happening in places, but to bring one here was my idea.
The first time I rode in one was in St. Louis, where they have been doing a ride for around 40 years and they’ll have 14,000 riders. You are in this sea of bikes. So I got the idea from having ridden in the St. Louis one and the Chicago one. There are so many bike rides that we needed something unique, a niche, so we picked the middle of the night.
What is the distance of the bike ride?
Participants ride 25 miles, however, you can ride as much or as little as you want. We start and end at Marmion Academy, and the majority of the ride takes place within the grounds of the Fermi National Accelerator lab. Just enjoy yourself and go at a pace to have fun.
What kind of terrain will riders be on?
We will ride the Fermilab wide paved roads, which will all be closed (to traffic.) It is very flat. We use about 2,000 luminarias to light the way between Marmion and the entrance into Fermilab, so you just keep your bike between the luminarias.
Who can ride?
Anyone who pays the fee can ride, but children under 18 also need to be accompanied by an adult.
What pre-ride activities are planned?
We will have someone spinning records and ice cream, pizza, popcorn and drinks available. The only prizes we have are for best- decorated bike and best-decorated helmet. Riders tend to come with their bikes all decked out.
Were there safety issues you needed to address for a night ride?
Everybody has to wear a helmet and have a light on his or her bike, even if it is just a flashlight taped on. We have police officers, Fermi security personnel and volunteers all around. It did take Department of Energy approval to go in (to Fermilab) after sundown. So it was a big deal to have this happen.
How fast do the riders ride?
We really run the gamut. However, this is not a race. It is meant to be pleasurable, with no prizes for coming back first. There is no physical fitness level or expectations, just get on your bike and have fun.
Are there any surprises on the route to watch for?
We do have a surprise at the base of the high rise (Fermi’s main building). It’s our only water stop and we’ll have Krispy Kremes there. It is the one thing most people talked about last year, “I can’t believe we got a Krispy Kreme with our water.”
How do people register?
You click on the moon on our Web site, www.chasethemoon.com. We will accept registration that night, but we have a maximum of roughly 500 riders. You will get a T-shirt, if available. Those registering that night run the risk of not getting one.
What is the best way to handle the sleep deprivation the next day?
If you can plan your schedule to sleep in some or take an afternoon nap, you should be fine. I think the rides that go later may deprive you a bit more. In Chicago, the whole idea is to end at Buckingham Fountain at daybreak and you’ve truly lost a night’s sleep. But this isn’t like that. You can easily be home in bed by 3 a.m.
– Joan Broz