My husband and I have attended the MS 150 Bike Ride for the past 11 years. We meet participants at the finish line to cheer for the ride they have completed. It has always been held at the CSU campus in Fort Collins, CO.

This year the ride was moved to the UNC campus in Greeley, Co. Not a big deal. Right!

Well, to begin with, there was no designated handicap parking, so we had to park a half mile away. Again not a big deal other than the temperature was in the 90’s by noon. A volunteer on a golf cart stopped and asked if she could give us a ride. Duh, did she assume that I could miraculously hoist myself up and onto the cart? 

The finish line was not visible until we turned on a bike path right where the riders were crossing. The only shade was one tree that the crowd all tried to be under. There was a large balloon arch and a DJ playing music under a tent. All well and good until the generator ran out of gas. Causing the balloon to deflate and the music to stop. Several volunteers tried to hold up the balloon so that riders wouldn’t crash into it. Once my good friend (who by the way received donations for over $1000), crossed the finish line, we were more than ready for some air conditioning. 

My husband asked a volunteer if he could bring the car closer to pick us up. His reply was, “oh, I don’t know if that is allowed”. That was the last straw for my husband. He proceeded to tell the guy that it is pretty stupid to hold an event for people with MS when the accessibility is nonexistent. 

We can only hope that next year the society can improve on this site or return to CSU as before.