MANSFIELD, Connecticut — As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to pose problems for large gatherings, the August 15th Steeple Chase Bike Tour, has now become a virtual event this year. The race will offer one supported route for cyclists. The event’s popular 20-mile route has been renamed the “Faith Ride” for 2020 in loving memory of one of the event’s founders, Faith Austin, who died earlier this year. The route will be marked with directional arrows, and one rest stop will be open for riders from 10am to 2pm.
“Faith Austin played a critical role in establishing this fundraiser, which is celebrating its 29th anniversary this year,” explains Dan Gerwien, chairman of the planning committee. “Her husband Ed came up with the idea for the event and she worked tirelessly with him for well over 20 years planning and executing each year’s Steeple Chase. Faith worked with Dave Stevens to establish the Holy Cow Shelter on Bassetts Bridge Road in Mansfield – one of the busiest rest stops on the tour where riders from every route except the Century stop for a break. She also created the recipe for Steeple Chase power bars that we still offer every year. We are so grateful for all she did to make this fundraiser a success, raising over $1.6 million for human services in the Windham region, and are thrilled to offer this one in-person route in her honor.”
The Faith Ride travels more than 20-miles through Willimantic, Mansfield, Chaplin, and South Windham. It’s one rest stop for 2020 will be the Holy Cow Family Shelter on Bassetts Bridge Road in Mansfield, the rest stop Faith Austin helped run, very near her home.
To view or download the route, go to https://steeplechasebiketour.org/20-mile-tour/. The Steeple Chase Ride/Walk benefits three critical human service organizations in northeast Connecticut. The Jeffrey P. Ossen Family Foundation will match every dollar raised by participants and sponsors, doubling proceeds. All proceeds will be used to help people struggling with drug addiction, homelessness, mental health challenges, and poverty.
In a normal year, Steeple Chase cyclists and walkers of all ages and abilities would choose from pre-planned 20, 35, 50, 62.5 or 100-mile bike routes through eastern Connecticut or a 5-mile walk through Willimantic.
This year, participants can ride wherever they want, through their neighborhood or hometown, on one of Connecticut’s traffic-free Rail Trails, like the Hop River or the Airline Trail, or along one of the routes detailed on the Steeple Chase website. (The original five routes for the tour are posted on the event website, www.steeplechasebiketour.org.)
Participants can also ride or walk whenever they want, starting and finishing their route at a convenient time. For those choosing to ride a Steeple Chase route, parking is available at the Park & Ride lot located on the corner of Route 195 and South Frontage Road in Mansfield. This is the closest public parking lot to the Steeple Chase’s normal day-of venue, the ECSU Athletic Complex on Mansfield City Road. Parking at the ECSU Athletic Complex will be closed this year due to COVID-19.
By registering online at www.bikereg.com/46719 or www.steeplechasebiketour.org/registration, and asking friends, family, employers and others to sponsor the ride, Steeple Chase participants can generate desperately needed funds for the Windham No Freeze Project (www.windhamnofreeze.com), Windham Area Interfaith Ministry/WAIM (www.waimct.org) and Perception Programs.
Pre-registration for the event is $25 for individual riders or walkers. In addition to registration, each rider is asked to raise a minimum of $75 in donations. Online registration for the Steeple Chase will continue through August 14 at www.steeplechasebiketour.org and www.bikereg.com/46719.
The Steeple Chase benefits from the generosity of corporate sponsors and donors including The Jeffrey P. Ossen Family Foundation, IT Direct, The Chronicle, Thread City Cyclists, Home Selling Team, Sarazin General Contractors, and many others. Companies and organizations interested in sponsorship should call Perception Programs at 860-450-7122. For more information, visit www.steeplechasebiketour.org, call (860) 450-7122, email steeple.chase@perceptionprograms.org, or follow the event on Facebook @SCbiketour, Twitter @SCbiketour, Instagram @steeplechasebiketour, and on LinkedIn.