After hunkering down in Wesley United Methodist Church in Crookston Friday night, 32 Bike and Build cyclists headed out for Devils Lake bright and early Saturday morning amidst a dense fog. The young adults left June 22 from Portsmouth, N.H. on the 69-day Northern Route that will end in Vancouver, British Columbia (Canada).
The Bike and Build organization, which has collectively raised more than $2.3 million since its inception in 2002, has nine routes this year in which participants raise funds and awareness for housing projects and poverty issues, and assist in building homes along their route. More than 1,000 participants spent 63,500 hours on these builds and pedaled over 4 million miles.
The Crookston Area Habitat for Humanity chapter and church members hosted the participants, who presented a program for the public on Friday night. This is the sixth year the church has hosted the team, which came to Crookston from Bemidji via U.S. Highway 2.
Each participant raises about $4,000 in pledges before they begin. The organization started with central and northern routes in 2003 and has added a route each year and plans to continue expanding its horizons.
Visit www.bikeandbuild.org for more information and to track the team's progress.
