Virtual Participant Guide

Thank you for being a part of this year’s Cycle of Hope!

We’ve been hard at work putting together an incredible event to connect our Cycle of Hope community both virtually and in-person this October. So, while we’ll miss seeing you in person, our Virtual DIY athletes are a critical part of our community, and we’re here to support you with EVERYTHING you’ll need to know for a great experience!

IMPORTANT DATES

Packet Shipping
The cost of mailing your packet is included in your Virtual DIY ticket! Here are the shipping dates:

Tuesday, September 24th, 2024
Thursday, October 10th, 2024

October 1st: Ride Period Begins

It’s time to get moving! You’ve got three weeks to log your activity (or activities!) for the Virtual DIY.

October 20th: Ride Period Ends

This is it! At 11:59pm, the ride period closes. So, be sure to log your participation and share your photos before the end of the day (read on for the details on how!). Plus, it’s time to celebrate everything we’ve accomplished! We’ll be celebrating the WHOLE Cycle of Hope community, and that includes YOU! There are two ways to be a part of the fun:

Hop on over to our Facebook page for live updates from Cycle of Hope on October 20th.
Join us in person in Dublin! Even if you’re riding at a distance, you can still party in person! You’re welcome to attend the Finish Line Festival, food and beverage will be available for purchase as well as lots of activities at the Kids’ Bike Festival.

WHAT TO EXPECT DURING CYCLE OF HOPE!

The Virtual DIY is Cycle of Hope’s most flexible way to participate, so the sky is the limit as to where you complete Cycle of Hope! Maybe it’s your favorite local route. Maybe it’s in your living room on your stationary bike. Maybe you’re hiking your favorite trail or putting an oar in the water in the nearest waterway!

WHEN TO PARTICIPATE

You can participate anytime between October 1st and October 20th. Not only that, you can participate as many times as you want! Say, for example, you set a 50-mile goal. Well, you could do that full trek in one go, or you could meet that goal over multiple sessions!

Planning on cycling? Here are a few things to think about when choosing a time to ride:

Weather and air conditions – Earlier rides allow for cooler temperatures, and be sure to check PurpleAir.com to be mindful of air quality.
Traffic – Choose a time of day when you can anticipate safe riding conditions.
Friends – If you’re riding with friends, make sure you coordinate a time when you can all safely ride. And, hey – it’s not too late to get those friends on board if they haven’t joined you already! Just send them your personal referral link and get them signed up (and get a referral credit toward prizes while you’re at it)!

WHERE TO PARTICIPATE

This is where the “DIY” comes in! The “where” could be your living room, your favorite yoga studio, that gorgeous hiking trail, or a cycling route of your own creation! We do, of course, have the official in-person cycling routes mapped out, and they’re available to you if you’d like to do one of them on your own time.

Official Cycle of Hope Courses

These are the same routes our in person riders will use on the official ride day, October 20th, 2024. Take a look at those courses on Ridewithgps.com here:

Metric Century Ride

Moderate Ride

Starter Ride

Things to keep in mind when riding an official Cycle of Hope course as a Virtual DIY-er:

No roads will be closed.
No signage will be on the road directing riders, so keep that route map handy in order to stay on course!
Aid stations will not be available along the course – so, please be sure to prepare yourself with hydration, provisions for bicycle maintenance and repair, and planned places to take breaks.
No on-site medical support will be provided. Please call 9-1-1 if you experience an emergency.

JOIN THE COMMUNITY… VIRTUALLY!

Cycle of Hope is all about community. We want to be sure that you’re tied in with your fellow Cycle of Hopers as we move us all closer to that ultimate finish line: a world where everyone has a decent place to live. Here are some ways to keep that connection strong:

GET SOCIAL

Connect with us on Facebook and Instagram, and share photos and highlights from your ride using the hashtag #TogetherWeRide and #BikeToBuildHomes. Make sure to tag us @HabitatCycleOfHope! Sharing photos is a fantastic way to celebrate all that we’ve achieved together!

FUNDRAISING AND REFERRALS

Want to get the most mileage out of your ride? You can choose to fundraise! If you do, you’ll raise more than funds. You'll help Habitat raise walls – like those on the final homes of Esperanza Place.

This spring, we celebrated the completion of this neighborhood’s first 23 homes – and the 23 new homeowners who now have mortgages they can afford, transit close at hand, and a climate-smart community to call home.

But the work is not complete. We have 19 more homes to build before Esperanza Place is finished, and an uphill challenge to raise the funds we need. And no one understands an uphill challenge like you, our cycling community!

Cycle of Hope athletes have raised $1.6 million since our first ride, and we need to make this year bigger than ever. And with Bob & Barbara Frick & Friends of Cycle of Hope (BBF & Friends) matching donations, we know this community can do it. Plus, you’ll unlock some great incentives and prizes along the way!

Any fundraising perks you earn will be mailed out after the event, and we’ll let you know what you can look forward to in the mail!

Cycle of Hope