525-Mile Charity Ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles Benefits the One in Four Americans with Arthritis
Arthritis Foundation President and Chief Executive Officer Steven Taylor joined riders of The California Coast Classic + Arthritis Challenge Experience presented by Amgen as it rolled out from Fisherman’s Wharf last Saturday. The ride is making its way down Highway 1 currently and will conclude September 17 at a Finish Line Celebration in Los Angeles.
Taylor, who began leading the Arthritis Foundation eight months ago, took up road cycling to support the Foundation’s flagship fundraising event and show his solidarity with its 250+ riders and volunteers. “The CCC is like nothing I’ve ever seen,” he said. “I’m so inspired and impressed by this group’s dedication! I just had to experience it myself.”
Now in its 22nd year, the California Coast Classic is a boutique, bucket-list bicycle tour that showcases the scenery of one of the world’s most fabled coastlines and travels the iconic California Highway 1. This year, there are 267 participants from 24 U.S. states, Canada, and Great Britain. The group’s 2022 fundraising total is currently $1.06 million, with more donations expected through the November 1 end of the campaign.
Each rider must meet a minimum fundraising goal to participate in the tour, which supports the 60 million Americans and 300,000 kids and teens with arthritis. The funds allow the Arthritis Foundation to increase quality of life with advocacy, improved access to health care, kids’ summer camps, arthritis conferences, and more – and to support research for better treatments and a cure for arthritis. Many CCC riders either have arthritis or are riding for a loved one with the autoimmune disease that affects one in four Americans.
Throughout CCC’s long history, presenting sponsor Amgen, one of the world’s preeminent biotechnology companies, has provided financial support for the ride and encouraged its employees to participate in it. This year, Team Amgen comprises 25 riders from seven states.
Additional partners of the 2022 California Coast Classic Bike Tour are: Champion-Level Partners GO Sleeves, Horizon, Visit Cambria, Cycle Central Coast, DePuy Synthes, and Pfizer and Prestige-Level Partners Safeway Foundation and Setpoint Medical.
More information about the bike tour, including its detailed itinerary, is available at the California Coast Classic website and in this short video. The self-paced pedaling adventure is open to cyclists of all levels and welcoming of e-bike riders. It is Gran Fondo Guide’s “Best Charity Bike Tour” and has been named one of “The 30 Best Road Biking Trips” by Outside Magazine.
The dates of the 2023 California Coast Classic are September 30 – October 7 and registration is available at this link.
About the Arthritis Foundation
The Arthritis Foundation is fighting for all people who live with arthritis. As a Champion of Yes, the Arthritis Foundation’s mission is to turn the obstacles arthritis causes into opportunities. The Arthritis Foundation champions life-changing solutions and medical advancements, and provides ways for people to connect, break down barriers in health care and join the fight for a cure — uniting hearts, minds, and resources to change the future of arthritis. To join the fight to cure arthritis, visit arthritis.org.
About the California Coast Classic Bike Tour
The Arthritis Foundation’s California Coast Classic Bicycle Tour Presented by Amgen, “The Ride of a Lifetime”, is the winner of Gran Fondo Guide’s Best Charity Bike Tour Award. It began in 2001 and is the flagship fundraising bike tour of the Arthritis Foundation, raising over $1 million dollars annually for resources and research to find better treatments and a cure for arthritis. Beginner and experienced cyclists are encouraged to join the 8-day, fully-supported, 525-mile journey down the coast of California from San Francisco to Los Angeles from September 30 – October 7, 2023 and registration information can be found here. Supporters who cannot come to the in-person tour are invited to join the Arthritis Challenge Experience, a choose-your-own adventure that connects participants to the vibrant CCC community. For more information, visit arthritis.org/californiacoastclassic.
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