Changes to the route and timetable may be necessary due to road/weather conditions and other factors. For dates, times and locations of events please see the calendar.

Jersey / Shirt / Badge Pick Up

Riders and Volunteers:

  • Your Ride ID, Jersey or new Volunteer T-shirt & badge can be picked up at the Corporate Benefactor Reception at MVCC Alumni College Center (Utica campus) beginning at 5:30 PM.
  • If you are unable to pick up your packet at the reception they will be available after the Reception, at the NCMEC office, 934 York St., Utica NY, between 8:30AM and 4:00PM.
  • Final pickup is at Rider Bike Loading on Wednesday before the Ride, 3:00PM-7:00PM in the parking lot behind IT building/Shafer Theater on MVCC Utica campus
  • Your pickup bag will have assigned ID numbers for both riders and volunteers. In addition, riders will have a second larger number and two, colored ribbons. Continue reading for instructions on their use.
  • All volunteers are required to have a new ID Badge for your assignment. NOTE: You will not be allowed onto shuttle buses, Troop D or school property without your ID badge.

 ID Badges and Ribbons
Riders and Volunteers – The smaller ID number found in your pickup bag will be placed on your Ride Day Gear Bag. Gear bags without an ID number will not be allowed on the shuttle bus or onto Troop D property. Do not forget it!

Riders – one colored ribbon will go on your Ride day gear bag to identify which gear truck it will be placed in. The second colored ribbon should be placed on the back of your seat by your name tag. The larger ID number will go on the top tube of your bicycle. Your bicycle will not be loaded on the transport trucks and you will not be allowed to be part of The Ride without it.

Rules on Cell Phone use & Emergency Rider Contact Number
For the safety of our Riders, Riders are not allowed to use cell phones while you are riding. You may make calls during all the Rest Stops. The Emergency Contact Number for your Families to get a message to you is 315-725-7804. Please give this number to your families for emergency use only. This is a cell phone that will be in the NY State Police Escort Command Car. The NYSP Police Escort Director will have the Ride Shepherds locate you and take you to a place where you can safely make a phone call. We ask all Riders for their cooperation in following this rule for the safety of all our Riders. Support Vehicle Drivers are required to follow NY State law regarding use of hands-free devices when using cell phones while driving.

Bicycle Loading

  • Bicycles to be taken to Troop D in Oneida must be loaded onto our large transport trucks located behind the IT building on the MVCC campus. Bicycles will be loaded Wednesday before The Ride. If your bike doesn’t have an ID number attached it will not be loaded.
  • Riders are responsible for wrapping their own bicycles. You may wrap your bicycle in old blankets, towels or bubble wrap before you load it on the truck. (These materials will not be returned to you.)
  • If possible please drop off your bike at the same time as your riding partner, if you have one.
  • Bicycles will be set up outside Troop D headquarters within the secured perimeter.
  • There are no facilities at Troop D headquarters in Oneida for riders to drive themselves to the start. We encourage you to use the bus transportation we provide.

Ride Day Gear Bags

Bring only one gear bag, weighing less than 20 lbs., when you come to the Bus Loading. When you arrive at Troop D put it in the correct “Gear” truck which will follow the Riders all day. Trucks are color-coded: Purple or White to correspond with the ribbon color on your bag.You will be given either a PURPLE or WHITE Ribbon to place on your Gear Bag. Consider storing your clothing in plastic bags inside the gear bag in case of rain. Do not put bicycle “floor” pumps in your gear bag. We will have pumps in the Mechanics Van.

  • Make sure you have a name-tag and your assigned number on the outside of your gear bag. You will not be allowed to bring your gear bag onto State Police property without your assigned number.
  • Be sure to attach either the PURPLE or WHITE Ribbon on your Gear Bag.

Parking for Riders & Volunteers

Adirondack Bank Center

  • Shuttle buses will be available to take riders and volunteers to The Ride start at Troop D in Oneida. Buses will be available at 5:00 am and will depart promptly at 5:20am
  • Parking will be available in designated areas.
  • We suggest leaving a Ride Brochure on your dashboard.
  • There is no parking at Troop D in Oneida.

If you do not use the bus to get to Troop D you must be on site by 6:30 am. Nobody will be allowed on the property after that time.

When You Get To Troop D

We will arrive at Troop D between 6:00 and 6:10 AM. You will have approximately 25 minutes to find your bike and visit the Rest Rooms before the opening ceremony.

  1. Find your bicycle – they are in numerical order; the Bike Crew will have unloaded them from the Trucks.
  2. Your bicycle will be in a color-coded area, corresponding to your ribbon color, & placed by number. Please do not relocate it without permission.
    1. Check your tires for air (if you need air or have a flat raise your hand a shepherd will come to assist you)
    2. Check your brakes to make sure the cables are correctly connected and your brakes are working
    3. Check your chain – is it on the front chain ring and proper back gear?
  3. Dress for the conditions for the first leg of The Ride.
  4. If you have not already done so, attach your Ribbon to identify your gear bag: Purple or White as directed. Make sure your name tag & bike numbers are securely attached!
  5. Place your Gear Bag in the appropriate Gear Truck. Keep needed medications and inhalers with you. You will not be able to get to them once the Rider Briefing and Opening Ceremony begins.
  6. Use the Rest Rooms. Please use the portable bathrooms provided for you outside the garage.

Line-up at Troop D after Opening Ceremonies have ended
After the Opening Ceremony:

  • Groups will be called out to their bikes by color-coded Group & Number: (PURPLE and then WHITE). Please wait until your group & number have been called. Riders will line up 2 x 2 in each group.
  • Follow the instructions from the Shepherds and the New York State Police.
  • Volunteers report to their buses.

Arriving and Departing the School Rest Stops

  • Follow your Group Leader to your color-coded area
  • IF YOU GET OUT OF POSITION –
    • Follow the group you are currently in;
    • When everyone dismounts the bikes – take your bike to the center chute. You will be placed in the proper position upon departure.

Departing Rest Stops
To stay on schedule, it is very important that we line up quickly and efficiently for the start of each leg of The Ride. Five minutes before we leave each Rest Stop, we will call all Riders to line up. When you hear the announcement proceed immediately to your bike, it will be on the barriers where you left it. The Ride will leave in the same order in which it arrived. If you are at the beginning of a chute a volunteer will tell you when to begin riding to follow the procession out of the school yard.

IMPORTANT NOTE – ONLY OFFICIAL SUPPORT VEHICLES ARE ALLOWED TO DRIVE WITH THE RIDER PROCESSION: These are the only vehicles allowed in the Ride Procession. State Police will be providing a rolling enclosure for the procession. Riders, please tell your Families that they are not allowed to drive along with the procession.

Post Ride Party

The public is invited to the Adirondack Bank Center to welcome riders home at approximately 5:45pm. There will be special footage from Ride day along with food, drink and entertainment. The Post Ride Party will celebrate riders, volunteers and honored Ride guests, the families of missing and exploited children. It will be free to attend and open to the public.

The Ride “Shepherds”

The Shepherds: We have chosen some of our Riders to act as Ride Shepherds. The day of the Ride they will be wearing white Ride-logo jerseys so they are easily recognized as Shepherds. The Shepherds goal is to keep us riding safely together, prevent gaps in the line, and assist the Riders. The Shepherds will be in two-way radio contact with the NY State Police Escort. The Shepherds will work with you to adjust your riding pace so we keep a uniform line without large gaps between Riders. Please follow all the
instructions from the Shepherds to adjust your pace and keep 1 to 1 ½ bike lengths between you and the Rider in front of you.

Sweep Shepherds will be at the back of the Rider line. They will instruct any Rider who cannot keep the pace to get into the SAG Wagon. The Rider will then pull off to the right shoulder; the Bike Crew will put the bike in the truck and resume driving with the Riders. The Rider may re-join the Ride at the next Rest Stop.

There is a lot of information in this document. For first time riders don’t try to memorize it all. Pay attention to dates and times of specific events. On Ride day just follow the crowd. If you have questions, ask a shepherd. Relax and enjoy the day and thank you for, “Making Our Children Safer…One Child at a Time”