Myrtle Beach to Host More Than 2,200 Cyclists From the Carolinas Planning to Pedal for Multiple Sclerosis

CHARLOTTE, N.C., July 18  /PRNewswire/ -- Myrtle Beach will play host to a different kind of bike than it's used to when the National Multiple Sclerosis Society's "Breakaway to the Beach Bike Ride" comes to town the weekend of September 15-16, 2007.  More than 2,200 cyclists will join together in a 150- mile trek over 2 days as part of a nationwide effort to fight Multiple Sclerosis, a chronic disease of the central nervous system.

Beginning at Broadway at the Beach, cyclists will ride between 35 and 100 miles each day depending on the routes they choose.  During the ride, cyclists will wend their way through the back-roads of Horry County, with full support from the City of Myrtle Beach Police Department, the City of Conway Police Department, the Horry County Sheriff's Department, Horry County Fire & Rescue, and the SC-DOT.

The Breakaway to the Beach Bike Ride, one of the best-supported fundraisers in the region, is part of the national MS Bike Ride series, the largest organized cycling event in the country.  It provides an ideal venue for serious cyclists to the leisurely weekend rider, and all routes will offer frequent rest stops with refreshments, mechanical support, massage therapists, and dedicated volunteers.  Each cyclist fundraises prior to the Bike Ride, and many ride in honor of friends or family affected by Multiple Sclerosis.  Last year's Breakaway to the Beach raised $1.8 million.  The cycling event will start from and end at Broadway at the Beach in Myrtle Beach, where many cyclists will camp overnight.

"We are thrilled to have the opportunity to host the MS Bike Ride in Myrtle Beach," said National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Mid-Atlantic Chapter President Anne Marie Forbes.  "The outpouring of support from the local law enforcement has been phenomenal, and we are looking forward to a great and inspiring ride for an important cause."

The MS Bike Ride began in 1980.  In the year 2006 alone, it raised $67 million nationally with 100,000 cyclists participating.

About Multiple Sclerosis

MS is a chronic, unpredictable neurological disease that most often strikes otherwise healthy adults generally between the ages of 20-50.  MS can cause blurred vision, loss of balance, poor coordination, slurred speech, tremors, numbness, extreme fatigue, problems with memory and concentration, paralysis, and blindness. These problems may be permanent, or they may come and go.

Studies show that early and ongoing treatment with an FDA-approved therapy can reduce future disease activity and improve quality of life for many people with multiple sclerosis. Talk to your health care professional and contact the National MS Society at http://www.nationalmssociety.org/ or 1-800-FIGHT-MS to learn about ways to help manage multiple sclerosis and about current research that may one day reveal a cure. 

National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Mid-Atlantic Chapter


CONTACT:  Logan Stewart of National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Mid-
Atlantic Chapter, +1-704-525-2955 or +1-800-477-2955, logan.stewart@nmss.org



Web site:  http://www.nationalmssociety.org/