Team WJW “Coasts the Coast” for Multiple Sclerosis in the MS 170
by Dawn Richardson (or Dawnie…or D2)



As we pedaled our way along the Jersey coastline, during the MS 170 Coast the Coast ride, we would feel the threat of a Nor’easter as both a blessing and a curse. Hoping that we would not see the rain, we felt the blow of the wind at our backs as we moved at great speeds from Sandy Hook to Cape May. Six determined Wheelmen, plus two wanna-bees, teamed up to ride for the Multiple Sclerosis society. The figures were quite impressive not only in donations, but on the bikes.

Only 20 miles into the ride, my front wheel found its way into a crater somewhere near Asbury Park. Stunned and a bit bruised, I walked it off and away we went once more. After all, I did have another 150 miles to ride. And the support and camaraderie of the team made sure we were “one for all and all for fun” as we kept each other moving toward the final destination. I can’t thank the team enough for the friendship and support, and especially Barrie, Ron, and Tom for working with me to reach averages unheard of for so many miles.

While the weather threatened most of the time, it was only nearing the end of the 170 miles that the rain made its attempt to dampen our spirits. But knowing we were close, realizing “only a few more miles”, everyone came in with ear-to-ear grins, happy to have completed 170 miles, looking for the hot showers and refreshments.

The team included: myself, Barrie Drabble (D1), Joanna Lewin, and Tom Coughlin, joined by his wonderful wife Monica; Diana Thompson (the toughest cookie in the Wheelmen bunch as shown by her determination to finish after needing 13 stitches to close up her chin), Jim Tubman (soon to join WJW) and our fearless and infamous team captain Ron LaNeve, a celebrity of the shore towns and a leader to the very last mile. We hope to grow the team for next year, as we have witnessed, it’s not just a ride, its an adventure and so much more for such a great cause. Following are some memories from Team WJW.

Joanna Lewin: Riding 170 miles (80 the first day and 90 the second day) was amazing to me, especially when I got home and looked at a map of NJ. I just couldn't believe the sheer distance that we covered. The first day was occupied by finding our individual paces, meeting new bike friends and planning our party that night on Long Beach Island. Four out of eight of us fell the first day, which dampened our collective spirits, but didn’t stop us. The second day started with a truck driver breakfast in the gym and only got better when the sun came out and warmed up a bit. The ride was beautiful as we wove in and out of wetlands, past an eagle's nest, over bridges and through sleepy beach Shore beach towns. It was definitely empowering (to finish!) and exciting to be part of such a large, well-organized riding event. Forming a WJW team was the best idea - we pulled together, left encouraging (and silly) messages on message boards, planned our food stops, wore our team shirts with pride, and really got into the spirit of the team and the bike club.

Tom & Monica Coughlin: The trip is so much fun that it is hard to remember that we are doing this for charity. We should be very proud that this event raised over $800,000 to fund MS projects and living assistance. As for road bikes and Asbury Park - not perfect together! The ride was a great chance to see a beautiful part of NJ while raising money for the cause. It is a wonderful feeling to know that you have nothing to do but ride your bike for as long as you like all day. The event was well organized with rest stops, markings and traffic assistance where needed. This was our first major event with the WJW and we had a fun time with our fellow team members and look forward to the event again next year

Barrie Drabble: Ah! The MS170, my favorite training ride for the Jersey Double, it comes at just the right time, mid May, a chance to stretch your legs and put in a couple of back-to-back near centuries. This was my 5 th time riding in this Multiple Sclerosis Society event, but every time it has been a unique experience. I’ve written stories about my experiences in prior years, but this years Tour was special. This was the first time I wasn’t riding alone, this year we had a team, and what a difference it made. All the planning for the event was more fun when shared with others. We raised a goodly sum of money ($6000) without resorting to selling our bodies or bikes. On Saturday I tried really hard and did hang with the rest of the team until the first rest stop, where I gave in to those gremlins that always sit on my shoulder when I ride and urge me to push harder. So after 7 miles of just cruising, the rest of Saturdays ride became fast and furious and I found myself leapfrogging the ride marshal who was trying to paint arrows on the road just in front of me, “Sorry Larry!”

Getting to the overnight stop ahead of the team meant I was there, ready to greet them with a welcome supply of ice cold beers. I was dismayed to learn of the misfortunes of those that crashed, and wondered how many others had been swallowed up by the atrocious roads of Asbury Park. Luckily, everyone will recover from his or her injuries. During earlier training rides the team had decided that Saturday night would be ‘party night’ for Team WJW. We had a great time despite being tired, and/or battered & bruised and Captain Ron resolved to try even harder next year (to find that elusive hot tub!!).
Day Two was warmer and gave us an opportunity to show off our new club jerseys. We rode a pace line all the way to Cape May, arriving just as the rain began to fall. With a few beers at the Coast Guard Clubhouse, we welcomed in the rest of the team. The bus ride home was nearly as much fun as the bike ride!

Team Captain Ron LaNeve: What can I say but “what a blast.” Great friends, great biking, great party. Life doesn't get much better than that. WJW had the most "flash" looking team on this tour. “Remember it's not how good you feel but how good you look,” although we all did feel pretty good. We did well and, although not a race, when a rider ahead with a yellow jersey popped up on our radar, we just had to reel him in, usually with the push of one of our own team, usually led by Barrie.

I think training for this ride was instrumental to finishing and feeling good. Reading all the SPOKE articles certainly helped. And the scheduled club training rides were just as much fun. The adventure was organizing this ride. With the help of Barrie, a veteran of this ride, Joanna and Dawn, it was simple. Everyone was very supportive working together to raise the necessary pledges. While all the final numbers are not in, I believe the WJW team raised close to $6,000.00 for MS.

My personal goal was to complete a long distance ride with a purpose. Prior to this 170-mile ride, I had never ridden more the 60 miles in a day. What better purpose than riding this distance to raise dollars for MS and sharing that ride with some extremely good friends. All I intended to do at the outset was to finish in one piece. Never did I think I would be riding a pace line at 20mph, averaging 18-22mph, led by Barrie, followed by Dawn and Tom, kind of a tortoise and the hare story. Next year, I hope to start earlier with registration to get more WJW members to join the team. It may sound like a long ride, but when you’re riding with friends, talking, and focusing on your purpose, the miles seemed to click away. "We Few, We Happy Few, We Band of Brothers".