20th Annual American Cancer Society GWB Challenge

On Sunday June 10th, the Northern NJ Chapter of the American Cancer Society ran it's "George Washington Bridge Challenge" walk & bicycle fund raising event for the 20th time.
It was their 20th anniversary of the event, and it was our 20th anniversary of helping them by providing motorcycle mounted road marshals to conduct a roving safety patrol.
Participating in this year' event were 8 club members:
 

Jerry Christie
Ed Comacho
Charlie Dunitz
John Maietta
Ed Roche
Bob Steinberg
Steve Viener
Bill Widmer
 

After meeting at the Diner in Englewood Cliffs, we left at 06:50 (yep, that early) to ride to the assembly area in Fort Lee, where we were greeted as old friends. The President of the ACS Chapter made a big point of highlighting our years of help during his welcoming speech to the assembled crowds, and they then presented each of us with 20th Anniversary commemorative patches - "to put on your vests."
We patrolled the longer (63 mile) bicycle route, after leading the procession across the lower level of the George Washington Bridge, which had been closed for the event. As far as I know, there were no significant problems and no accidents or injuries, and the primary help we gave was to prevent some riders from getting lost, and help out a few who had broken down. The picnic at the end, as usual, was catered quite nicely by the Market Basket, and we were done for the day by 12:30.
A few highlights:
- the looks of the faces of the Port Authority Police when we arrived at the staging area and rode around their positions to park at the head of the vehicle lineup!
- the look on my face when I was presented with the patches
- the many greetings and "thanks guys" we got from the bike riders as they rode by us shortly after the start, and the sincere appreciation from the organizers
- a few pictures taken by one of the event organizers are attached to this report.
 
I hope we'll all be here to ride in the 21st Anniversary version!

 

 Ride safe and ride often, Bob Steinberg

Photos :