Why do people ride Cascade Bicycle Club’s annual Seattle to Portland? There are going to be quite a few people asking themselves this exact question this weekend at some point during their 200-mile ride.

But every year, there are people riding for a specific cause, using the feat as a way to draw attention to an issue or raise funds. Of course the ride itself supports the bicycling and safe streets advocacy and education work by Cascade and Washington Bikes. But many people ride for causes unrelated, or only partially related, to bicycling.

Below are some of the causes people are riding for this year. Email a [email protected] to have yours added (include a short short description and any relevant links).

Ride for the Philippines

From the Ride for the Philippines GoFundMe:

I am fundraising to support the work of the Foundation for Philippine Progress, Inc. (FPP). It is a 501-C3 non profit organization based in Portland, OR with an optimistic vision of “A Full Life for Every Filipino.” I have been volunteering for the organization with Kuya Roger Rigor since it’s official founding in 2018, but have been helping with relief efforts (alongside my two children) since 2013, in the aftermath of Super Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda).

This July 15th, in the wake of the ten year anniversary of that storm, Kuya Roger and I will “Ride for the Philippines” by biking 206 miles from Seattle to Portland to raise more awareness about the FPP’s work, and hopefully generate 10-20k of material support for the most impacted areas in the Philippines. Your donation will go towards providing health care, fishing boats, food security, and many future relief missions that our trusted partners undertake. The Philippines continues to be among the top countries most vulnerable to climate change. (Read more…)

Asha for Education

The Seattle chapter of Asha for Education has been organizing annual STP groups and even host their own training rides. From a Cascade Bicycle Club post:

“Training for and riding STP is a highlight of the year for us,” [Seema] Chaudhary says. “The months of training unites our Asha volunteers around a healthy goal, brings us together as a community, and allows us to make new friends. Plus, we raise money to support our educational projects in India. It’s a real win-win for everyone.”

Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

From Cascade:

The mission of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is to cure cystic fibrosis–a genetic disorder that affects the lungs, pancreas, and other organs–and provide all people with CF the opportunity to lead long, fulfilling lives by funding research and advancing high-quality care.

As it did in 2022, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation will again field a team of riders to do STP.

STP Affinity Bike Clubs Partnership

Cascade has also been trying to make STP more welcoming and build organizational relationships through their STP Affinity Bike Clubs Partnership, which is also a chance to spread the word about great local bike groups. Below are some with excerpts from a Cascade blog post:

Gruppetto Cycling Club

Gruppetto has grown into a hub for riders of Filipino and Asian heritage. The group was even featured on national TV last year during Asian Pacific American Heritage Month in May. 

[Gabe] Castillo says he wants to grow interest in the healthful and community building aspects of bicycling within the Asian and Pacific Islander communities. “We are all trying to celebrate our culture and get our people to be more involved in bicycling.”

NorthStar Cycling Club

NorthStar Cycling Club organizes rides for Black, Brown, and Indigenous people in the Pacific Northwest, with a goal of “knocking down the barriers to cycling, building community, and uplifting BIPOC riders to support their physical and mental health,” according to the group’s website.

NorthStar holds no-drop, easy pace, Sunday Service rides most Sundays. 

Ampersand Bikes Club

The Ampersand Bikes Club, or ABC, hosts monthly Ramen Rides for people of Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander heritage.

As they did in 2022, ABC is doing STP training rides with NorthStar Cycling Club members that are led by Bike Works staff members.

Outspoken Cycle Club

“All our rides are no-drop,” [Keith] McDaniel says. “The goal is for everyone to finish each ride they attend as a part of our peloton.” Outspoken holds road, gravel, and mountain bike rides, varying from short weekly rides to multi-day excursions.

In 2022, Team Outspoken fielded 25 riders and raised money to benefit AIDS/LifeCycle in the fight to end AIDS. “The club is actively seeking additional opportunities to support queer causes here in Western Washington,” McDaniel says.

Friends on Bikes Seattle

Cascade wrote a separate post about FOB SEA:

With chapters in Seattle, Portland, and Toronto, Friends on Bikes organizes no-drop social rides and overnight bike camping trips for women, trans, intersex, and gender non-conforming Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. 

The goal is to foster a sense of community and increase diversity in bicycling.

“There are a lot of clubs and rides that are generally open to everyone,” says Roxanne Robles, organizer for the Seattle chapter. “However, they often become dominated by cisgender men who want to be fast and have the newest gear. Because this is how cycling is marketed–masculine, expensive, technical, and exclusive.” 

The Bicycle Nomad shares the stories of the Buffalo Soldiers

Erick Cedeño is in town to ride STP while also sharing the stories of the Buffalo Soldiers, the unit of 20 Black soldiers in a segregated U.S. Army who rode 1897-era bikes 1,900 miles from Missoula to St. Louis to help the military test the efficacy of bikes for troop transportation. While the overall story, as told by white military leaders, is known, Cedeño has been trying to piece together the stories of the riders themselves. He is an STP Ambassador and gave a talk yesterday. Oops, I wish I had posted this sooner.

(Thanks to Paul Tolmé for helping with this post)