Bos/treal 2020: Registration is now live!
Do you dream of biking through the gorgeous Green Mountains? Do you want to help make biking better in Boston? If the answer to both questions is yes, then we want you to join our team for the fifth-annual edition of Bos/treal!
On Bos/treal, you’ll pedal 400 miles from Boston to Montreal over five days, traversing quaint New England backroads and enjoying jaw-dropping scenery along the way. Once in Montreal, you’ll get to witness the city’s world-class bike infrastructure, and attend a short seminar to learn about how we can move Boston toward an equally bike-friendly future. The ride departs Saturday, May 23, and returns (via bus) Saturday, May 30.
All you have to do to participate (besides bike those 400 miles!) is hit a fundraising minimum of $1,800, all of which goes directly to support our work. That total includes a $100 deposit to secure your place on the team, and covers nearly all your food, lodging and travel expenses. We also offer two needs-based scholarship slots (more info below) that lower the fundraising threshold to $250.
For a full overview of Bos/treal, click here.
Are you ready to sign up for the adventure of a lifetime? Then follow the registration button below! Space is limited. Don’t miss your chance at the adventure of a lifetime!
Everybody Rides Bos/treal Scholarship
We understand that fundraising, obtaining the right gear, and training for the ride may be barriers to participating in Bos/treal. We want this trip to be accessible to everyone, which is why we’ll award two scholarships to ensure participation from riders who might otherwise be unable to join. Scholarship recipients are still required to do some fundraising to help spread awareness about the Bike Union, but their minimum threshold is $250 (vs. $1,800) and their deposit to secure a place on the team is only $25 (vs. $100.)
We’re accepting scholarship applications until March 15. If you’d like to apply, or nominate someone else whom you think would be a worthy recipient, do so at the link below. You can also find more information about the scholarship by clicking here.
Need more info, inspiration or encouragement?
Info Sessions: We’ll be hosting a few info sessions where you can learn more and hear from past riders about their experiences.
Testimonials: Here’s what past riders had to say about their experiences.
*Me awkwardly sitting with a group of people thinking about how to start a conversation*
No one:
Literally no one:
Me: “I biked 400 miles to Canada from Boston!”
And I say this with a smile every time I mention or think about it.
…
I decided to attend Bos/treal because I wanted to do something new, exciting, and out of the box for me. Bos/treal was definitely something that I didn’t see myself doing, given that the longest I’d ever ridden prior to it was 34 miles. In addition to achieving a personal goal, I also wanted to support biking efforts in the Boston area, and to meet different people to understand how biking plays a role in their personal or professional lives.
…
Once I confirmed my participation, BCU staff and volunteers helped me prepare. They took me out on training rides, loaned me bike clothing and bike and camping gear, and gave me advice. During the ride, they were encouraging, celebrated my small wins with me, and made me feel supported throughout.
—Shavel’le Olivier, Bos/treal 2019 rider
Read Shavel’le’s full rider report here. You can also read rider reports from 2018 and 2017.