Bike4ALS Marks its Fourth Year Cycling to the White House in D.C

On September 12th a group of 25 cyclists and 4 support personnel from the Union, Somerset, and Morris County areas rode 400 miles in what has become an annual effort to raise awareness and research funds for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.  The group of riders, known as Team Bike4ALS, left from Liberty Cycles in Basking Ridge, NJ on a 400 mile course that takes them to The White House and back to Cranford, NJ, ending with a finish line party sponsored by The Cranford Hotel.  Making this effort possible to generate an epic level of awareness about ALS were three key sponsors who have been with Team Bike4ALS for the past 4 years, Construction Specialties, Inc., Liberty Cycle Bike Shop, and Agile Dynamic.

It was a moving start which included an ALS patient cheering them on as they all as they pushed off from Liberty Cycles.  One of the stops on Day 1 was at RWJ University Hospital in New Brunswick, NJ.  RWJ University Hospital Neuroscience Center is one of the main benefactors of Bike4ALS. After last year’s ride Bike4ALS presented a check for $10,000.00 to the Hospital’s Neuroscience Center.

Pushing on from RWJ, the riders pedaled some 80 miles to their next stop in Mt. Laurel, NJ where they presented a recognition plaque in memory of Dominic Calabrese, a Mt. Laurel police officer who passed away from ALS and who is honored by Bike4ALS.  The second day of riding began in Delaware and ended in Washington, DC, lead in part by The U.S. Secret Service Uniformed Division. Another individual honored by Bike4ALS is Jim Sloan, a Cranford native who passed away from ALS and served with the US Secret Service, Assistant Commandant of the US Coast Guard, and Under Secretary of Treasury for Enforcement.  The final destination was the White House where they received a warm welcome from the daughter of the patient that was at their send off in NJ.

The final two days of the ride consisted of the riders pedaling back north to New Jersey, covering some of the previous two days course of just over 200 miles.  The rider’s final destination was a finish line in Cranford, NJ.  At the finish line this year, the riders and their support vehicles (SAG) were greeted by several ALS Warriors, ALS Family members, and all the Rider’s family members and friends.  Recognizing the efforts that Bike4ALS has made and continues to make in the ALS Community along with recognizing the great accomplishment that the 25 riders of Team Bike4ALS had completed over the past 4 days were Senator Tom Kean Jr., Assemblyman Jon Bramnick, Assemblywoman Nancy Munoz, and Carolyn Gaziano; Mayor of Bernards Township along with representatives from RWJ Hospital. 

Bike4ALS was founded just over 5 years ago by Brian Ennesser, son of Lois Ennesser whose life was cut too short by ALS. Over the past few years the ride has grown from 5 riders to over 25 this past year. Riding alongside Ennesser was his brother George, and 23 of the most talented cyclist from the New Jersey area, along with a great support staff consisting of George Ennesser Sr., Patti (Gardner) Ennesser, Lauren Carpenter, Chris Sudol, Tim Gaziano.  For more information on how you can get involved or donate to Bike4ALS please visit their website at Bike4ALS.com or e-mail info@Bike4ALS.com