RATPOD (Dillon)
Ride Around The Pioneers In One Day (RATPOD) is a one-day, 130-mile bicycle ride to benefit Camp Mak-A-Dream, a cost-free, medical camp in Western Montana for children, teens & young adults with cancer. Riders are encouraged to raise donations for the camp and bring them to the event. Prizes will be awarded to the top donation-earning riders.
The ride takes place in the remarkably scenic Big Hole Valley of southwestern Montana. Riders will encounter three wilderness mountain ranges. Pristine rivers are followed. The valley is sparsely populated and therefore lightly traveled by automobile. This is bicycle nirvana – the stomping grounds of Levi Leipheimer (Levi finished third in the 2007 Tour de France.)
Starting and ending in Dillon, Montana, RATPOD will take place on Saturday. Registration for RATPOD is open to individual riders, or to teams of up to four riders. There will be three food stops along the route and two water stops. A barbecue and band will follow the ride at the start/finish on the University of Montana-Western campus in Dillon.
Pre-registration required and limited to the first 650 riders. Registration opens in March 5, rides fill up very quickly. Donation and additional information can be found at www.ratpod.org.