[VIDEOS & PHOTOS IN EXTENDED ARTICLE]

For the first 15 miles, the 294 Bike4Chai Riders were hopeful the rain would hold off. After all, they had completed almost two thirds of the 170-mile journey, and they were so close…

It was not to be. As the morning progressed, the rains started, lightly at first, then turning into a downpour. Families and guests on their way to Camp Simcha for the big celebration passed rider after rider cycling in the rain.

“I raised all this money,” one cyclist said at the end. “There was no way I was getting off the bike.”

Bike4Chai was scheduled to ride into Camp Simcha at 3:15, and as the morning turned into afternoon, the anticipation multiplied. By 3:00, campers, dressed in sweatshirts and ponchos against the rain, joined spouses lining the camp road, ready to offer a hero’s welcome to a group that collectively raised almost $3 million to support Chai Lifeline’s programs for seriously ill children and their families.

Families came with t-shirts and signs supporting the riders. The Canadian delegation, perhaps understanding the vagaries of weather better than their neighbors down south, sported ponchos with red maple leafs and red and white hats. Campers made signs, too. Some welcomed Bike4Chai, but others, like the sign held aloft by a camper that read “Just because I’m disabled doesn’t mean I’m mentally handicapped” portrayed the essence of Camp Simcha’s philosophy and mission.

Finally, at 3:15, head counselor Ari Dembitzer led the countdown. As he finished, the road was ablaze with yellow-shirted riders and the crowd began to roar. A line of volunteers materialized, ready to shepherd bicycles to loading stands while the cyclists joined the dancing, singing hoards of campers and counselors. One by one, they disappeared into the crowd to high-fives and hugs from campers in wheelchairs and crutches.

Even with the best organization, it takes a while for 300 tired riders to dismount, but the dancing never stopped. Live cams and a huge overhead screen let the cyclists see themselves riding in and then stepping into the throng. Though they were wet and tired, every cyclist was energized by the reception.

When everyone had dismounted and families united, the entire camp headed to the gym for a warm Camp Simcha Special welcome. The cyclists sat in a place of honor, filling the bleachers in the front of the room and turning the wall yellow and blue. Every inch of space in the gym was filled. Excitement filled the structure and it seemed like the group would never settle down.

Then the real celebration began. First, the Camp Simcha Rollers came in. These young men, all confined to wheelchairs, danced, moving their chairs in unison to the music. The rest of the year, these boys are on the outskirts of social circles. Now they were the performers. They grinned as the chairs went forward, backward, and in circles.

“That’s what Camp Simcha Special does,” a staff member explained to the group surrounding her on the guest bleachers. “It takes them out of their shells and empowers them. Instead of having a disability, right now, they are so proud of what they can do.”

Then the cyclists were on their feet, performing after riding 173 miles. To the words of “I will never say never/Pick me up off the ground,” the revitalized group showed off dance moves they had spent two evenings practicing.

The energy never wavered. After the heartfelt welcome, the cyclists proceeded to a huge tent for a sumptuous celebration dinner. They exchanged stories of their rides as they filled their plates, and laughed with family members, the misery of riding in the rain already forgotten.

They were joined by Chai Lifeline’s executive vice president, Rabbi Simcha Scholar. He said he was in awe of the commitment each of the cyclists had to the ride, to Camp Simcha, and to Chai Lifeline.

“They give up so much of their time to train and raise money,” he remarked. “It’s a tremendous feat, and we are both proud and grateful to every cyclist.”

Those who have yet to ride with the group could be forgiven for wondering why someone would do all this. “For the kids,” each man said when asked. One explained, “All that riding, all that rain…it was worth it just to ride into Camp Simcha.”

“Are you going to do this again next year?” a first year cyclist was asked.

“You bet. Once you do Bike4Chai, you’re hooked.”

YWN PHOTO LINK: Click on links for the albums – special thanks to Hillel & Yitzy Engel for this photo gallery of more than a thousand images:

Bike 4 Chai 2013 Day 1 (Yitzy Engel)

Bike 4 Chai 2013 Day 1 (Hillel Engel)

Bike 4 Chai 2013 Day 2 Arriving in Camp Simcha (Hillel Engel)

Bike 4 Chai 2013 Day 2 Arriving at Camp Simcha (Yitzy Engel)

VIDEO – Bike4Chai 2013: 300 Bikers Pedal into Camp Simcha

Click HERE to watch this video on a mobile device.

VIDEO – 300 Bike4Chai Riders Perform “Never Say Never” in Camp Simcha

Click HERE to watch this video on a mobile device.

Bike4Chai was started in 2009 when just one rider, Dovid Egert of Lakewood, N.J., made the initial trip, raising $10,0000, and it has been growing ever since. In 2010, 38 riders raised $220,000; 93 riders raised $550,000 in 2011; 192 riders raised $1,887,000 in 2012, and in 2013, with fundraising still underway, 300 riders have raised more than $2.7 million to date.

For more information, visit www.chailifeline.org and www.campsimcha.org.

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