(VIDEO & PHOTOS IN EXTENDED ARTICLE)

On Wednesday morning, 500 cyclists laced up their cleats and began their 180 mile ride over two days to raise needed funds for sick children and their families. As of Thursday morning, the riders raised a whopping $9,811,958.35 for the cause!

Bike4Chai, now in its ninth year, raises funds for Chai Lifeline, the international children’s health support network. Chai Lifeline’ programs provide emotional, social, and financial support to children with life-threatening or lifelong illnesses and their families.

Bike4Chai kicked off from the Marriott in Princeton, NJ on Wednesday morning, with cyclists riding 180 grueling miles through 3 states over a day and half. On Thursday afternoon, they will pass through The World’s Greatest Finish Line, the entrance gate to Camp Simcha Special, Chai Lifeline’s overnight camp for children with chronic illnesses and medical challenges. There, the cyclists will be enveloped in a great hug by 120 campers, many who need wheelchairs, respirators, or other medical equipment to survive, and 200 staff members, who will dance, sing, and jump for joy with them.

In the early morning hours of Wednesday, riders set out on a clearly-marked century route that winds through the picturesque hills of New Jersey and the Pocono Mountains. Fully-stocked rest stops – complete with food, supplies, and entertainment – provided riders with an opportunity to refresh and recharge every 20 miles. SAG, mechanical, and medical support is available throughout the ride to remedy any problem that may arise.

Day 1 ended at the Kalahari Resort in the Pocono Mountains where riders relaxed and prepared for Day 2 in comfort and style.

On Thursday morning, the riders departed on the final leg of their ride. Day 2’s route unfolds through the Pocono Mountains and upstate New York; while the surroundings differ from Day 1, support and rest stops are consistent with the previous day’s arrangements.

One mile before Camp Simcha, the ride officially ends; the riders regroup and are treated to a well-deserved celebratory BBQ. Riders arrive at camp simultaneously, crossing The World’s Greatest Finish Line in a jubilant, unified group. Bike4Chai is greeted by the ecstatic campers and an awards ceremony.

According to Race Director Yoel Margolese, Bike4Chai is the largest per-capita fundraising bicycling event in the world. Cyclists must commit to raising a minimum of $5,000 when they register, and most raise several thousand more. The total raised by the group is posted daily on the ride’s home page.

Joining the 500 cyclists are Cadel Evans, who won the Tour de France in 2011, 17-time Tour de France competitor George Hincapie, Christian Vande Velde a retired American professional road racing cyclist, and three former NFL players, Amani Toomer, Tony Richardson, and Alan Veingrad.

In addition, two cyclists have been named Profiles in Courage. JJ Eizik is cycling for his fifth year. He learned to ride an adaptive hand cycle after surviving four bouts of cancer and the amputation of his left leg. Yossi Rotberg was born with physical challenges that left him unable to walk until he was four and a half years old. This year he will join the group for the third time, riding “my ride if not the whole ride,” as he said.

HUMBLE BEGINNINGS

In 2009, a solitary rider named Dovid Egert, a devoted Chai Lifeline volunteer, raised $10,000 in donations sponsoring a 135-mile bike ride from his home in Lakewood, NJ to Camp Simcha in Glen Spey, NY. His revolutionary ride provided the children of Camp Simcha with the summer of a lifetime; it also sparked an enormous innovation in fundraising.

The next year, Dovid was joined by Elliot Zaks and 38 inspired riders, and Bike4Chai was established.

This summer, hundreds of riders will participate in the 9th Bike4Chai ride, spanning three states over the course of two days. They will experience a cohesive, motivational ride through 180 miles of breathtaking scenery and incredible unity, triumphantly crossing a finish line like no other.

Photo Credits By: Lenny Groysman, LennyPhotoNY