The 2019 Baroudeur, Wayne State University’s annual cycling event, will be held Saturday, Aug. 17. The Baroudeur is a fun, noncompetitive event — including a post-ride party on campus complete with lunch, craft beer, and music — that gives riders of all abilities an opportunity to explore the Motor City and surrounding area on two wheels while WSU students pursue higher education. Proceeds directly benefit Wayne State University scholarships and the Helping Individuals Go Higher (HIGH) Program, which supports students whose unstable housing situations threaten their dreams of earning a degree. There are many ways to support the Baroudeur.
Ride
Registration is now open. Registration will end at 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 13.
This year, participants can choose between four courses — 20, 37, 62 or 100 miles — based on their individual experience and fitness levels. All Baroudeur courses are on the open road, and cyclists will be riding with vehicular traffic and must obey traffic laws. Now in its fifth year, the Baroudeur will include route updates based on participant feedback.
“The 37-mile route proved to be very popular, so we’re bringing that back,” said Matt Lockwood, ride director. “Additionally, the 62- and 100-mile routes have been changed. The 100-miler will now follow scenic Hines Drive to Plymouth and back instead of going to Grosse Ile.”
Training Rides
The Baroudeur is a fun, noncompetitive event, but the distances require increasing levels of physical fitness. To help participants prepare, training rides are held at 6 p.m. every Tuesday evening. Additional details about these free, no-drop training rides — and other ways to prepare for the Baroudeur — can be found online.
Volunteer
The Baroudeur simply would not be possible without the support of dedicated volunteers. Various volunteer positions are available throughout the day, and all volunteers receive a free t-shirt and are invited to attend the post-ride party. While all volunteers are welcomed and appreciated, the event is in special need of volunteers with medical backgrounds. You can sign up to volunteer online.
Donate
To further support WSU students in need, a WarriorFunder page has been launched. Riders, as well as faculty, staff, alumni and other members of the campus community, can donate or raise money in support of student scholarships and the HIGH Program. WarriorFunder is the university's official crowdfunding platform that makes donating easier than ever.
Schools, colleges and units across campus are encouraged to fundraise; funds can be directly allocated to specific scholarships. To start fundraising, please contact Katie McMillan at katie.mcmillan@wayne.edu.
Last year, faculty and staff in the Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences created a team — the EACPHS Diversity Scholarship Riders — and raised nearly $2,500 for the EACPHS Diversity Scholarship fund.
“We’re excited to partner with Warrior Funder for this year’s ride — it’s able to offer an exceptional experience for our donors and our development office shares our goal of supporting students in need. Crowdfunding makes it possible to make a bigger impact, and we’ve got some great incentives planned for those who raise money,” said Lockwood. “For some students, just a few hundred dollars can make the difference between staying in school and dropping out. Any amount can help fill the gap.”