Outer Banks Bike Tour
May 16-18, 2024
Join us in the spirit of camaraderie, philanthropy, and sport on a 3-day, 300-mile fully supported charity ride along the coastal islands of North Carolina. The ride is self-paced and open to all abilities.
Join Our
Arthritis Challenge Experience
Introducing the Outer Banks Bike Tour, a thrilling cycling experience that brings the beauty of the East Coast to the forefront of our charitable mission. The California Coast Classic is the Arthritis Foundation’s premier national destination event and flagship fundraiser. Inspired by its success, the Outer Banks Bike Tour is designed as a local adventure, allowing cyclists who can’t make it to California an opportunity to participate and contribute to the cause.
Ready to roll? Join our team and participate in our voluntary fundraising campaign and help us raise funds to conquer arthritis and make a life-changing difference, all while having A TON OF FUN! Secure your spot by registering for $149, and if you’re up for it, consider setting a personal fundraising goal of $500. Your voluntary support will make a significant difference in our mission!
Registration Includes:
Click on the arrows for more details.
Daily meals
A social dinner on Wednesday night will be provided. Breakfast and dinner will be provided on Thursday and Friday. Breakfast is the only meal that will be provided on Saturday.
Nutrition supplies
SAG support will provide snacks and hydration options throughout each day. Infinit Nutrition will also provide drink mixes for energy, hydration, and recovery.
SAG support
Vehicle support will provide transportation for participants if a rider is not feeling up to completing part of the ride or just needs us to carry a little extra gear such as clothing or tools.
Camping gear transportation
SAG support will transport your camping gear each day for you. We will be staying at the same campground two nights in a row so you do not need to take down camp during those days.
Camping fees
Camping reservations will be made in advance of the trip and are covered with registration.
Ferry fees
We will be riding 4 different ferries during the trip, two of which require a ticket. The fares are covered by the registration.
Discounted Velocity Cycling account for virtual training and group rides
Join us for weekly coached training rides for a nominal fee. Enjoy structured classes focused on the critical nuances of endurance cycling such as metabolic training, form, pacing, shifting, cadence, climbing/descending, and more. You’ll receive an invitation to connect after registration.
Hwy 12 Car Decal
North Carolina Hwy 12 is designated as a scenic highway with much of it traversing through the Pea Island Wildlife Refuge and the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Remember this trip for years to come with a decal you can stick anywhere.
Official Arthritis Foundation ACEXCCC Fundraiser Page
You’ll receive a personal fundraising website link to include in your emails, letters, and social media posts. You’ll also receive a Fundraising Handbook brimming with advice, tips, and ideas. We are fundraising experts who can help design a customized plan to reach the minimum fundraising goal. We have helped many who were nervous about reaching the minimum surpass it, so don’t be intimidated. It’s very attainable.
Facebook Fundraiser Page
Take your fundraising to social media. You’ll be provided with a custom Facebook page to share your experience with your friends and keep them up to date with your training as well as the ride itself each day!
An unforgettable adventure, breathtaking views, friendships, and fond memories to last a lifetime!
Go ahead, Click Register, and get started.
If you can’t join the ride, we’d appreciate your donation to help reach our fundraising goal.
Arthritis is a thief. It steals everyday joys and long-term dreams. It isolates and ostracizes. It is painful. It induces a spirit of “No.”
Becoming “Champions of Yes” sums up the essence of our goal, charting a course for the arthritis community, and helping families develop personalized plans for saying yes—day after day.
As the nation’s leading cause of disability, arthritis affects nearly 60 million Americans, including 300,000 children.
Join Our Strava Club
Resources
FAQ, fundraising resources, training plan, packing list, event schedule, and more coming soon.
Explore the Outer Banks
A backdrop of coastal beauty, shipwrecks, and pirates
Created by the convergence of the warm waters of the Gulf Stream heading north and the cold waters of the Labrador Current heading south, the Outer Banks of North Carolina is a unique chain of barrier islands extending far off the East Coast. The intersection of these currents not only created the Outer Banks but also acts as a global highway for sea turtles, fish, whales, migratory birds, and even bears and deer that frequent the area.
Because of its natural beauty, the Outer Banks of North Carolina has become a world-renowned destination for beachgoing, cycling, kite surfing, fishing, star gazing, and more.
But beware, the area is also known as the Graveyard of the Atlantic, named for the many shipwrecks that succumbed to the shifting sands. The infamous pirate, Blackbeard, also reportedly used the narrow inlets as a way to collect tolls in and out of the Pamlico Sound during the early 1700’s.
Pamlico Sound
The Pamlico Sound is the largest estuarine lagoon on the eastern seaboard of the US covering over 2,000 sq. miles. While its deepest recorded depth is only 26 feet, its average depth is only 5-6 feet. Because of the shallow depth, wide open expanses, and constant breeze, the sport of kite surfing is very popular.
Day 1 – 106 miles
We’ll start in the bustling port town of Morehead City. We’ll see commerce in motion with large container ships coming and going and trains gathering their loads to distribute across the county. We’ll quickly head out into the countryside with marshland flanking the road. Migrating birds will be plentiful and keep your eye out for the occasional alligator.
At mile 41, we’ll ride the first of two ferries, from Cedar Island to Ocracoke Island. I recommend riding into town for ice cream or coffee and then over to the Ocracoke lighthouse. After only 14 more miles on the bike, we’ll ride the second ferry over to Cape Hatteras. Once in Hatteras, be sure to take a quick detour to see the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, the nation’s tallest lighthouse.
From there, we’ll head due north along a thin ribbon of sand with the Atlantic Ocean on our right and Pamlico Sound on our left. Along the way be sure to stop for a break and check out the historic US lifesaving service station, Little Kinnakeet, just north of Avon, or stop in at a cozy coffee shop in Rodanthe and reminisce about the romantic movie filmed there, Nights in Rodanthe.
We’ll finish the day traversing Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge. Along the way, we’ll ride across two of the longest bridges on the Outer Banks. When crossing Oregon Inlet, keep your eye out for the numerous fishing boats coming and going from the port in Wanchese, where the famed reality TV series Wicked Tuna was filmed.
We’ll be camping for the first of two nights at the Oregon Inlet Campground.
Eta Aquariid Meteor Shower
Being separated from the mainland, there is very little light pollution along the Outer Banks, making it the perfect place to star gaze. On a clear night, the Milky Way is easily seen with the naked eye. Lucky for us, the Eta Aquariid meteor shower is active between Apr. 15 and May 27.
Day 2 – 112 miles
We’ll explore the northern end of the Outer Banks on Day Two, including the popular towns of Nags Head, Kill Devil Hills, Kitty Hawk, Duck, and Corolla.
Immediately after leaving camp, you’ll want to take a quick detour over to the Bodie Island Lighthouse. We’ll add on a loop to include a tour of Manteo to get our 100 miles in for the day. On our way around Manteo, we’ll traverse the longest bridge in North Carolina at 5.2 miles.
After heading north again, Jockey’s Ridge State Park is always a favorite, featuring eastern America’s largest sand dunes. The soft dunes and consistent winds are what lured the Wright Brothers to North Carolina to test their gliders. The Wright Brothers’ monument is a definite photo op.
Stop in Duck for the famous Duck Donuts, and if you’re lucky, you’ll see the wild horses in Corolla.
We hit the halfway point of our Outer Bank tour in Corolla and the northernmost point of the Outer Banks before turning back south again. Most days of the year, the prevailing winds are coming from the north and going south. If we’re lucky we’ll have a tailwind for the rest of the trip.
On the way back to camp, stop at one of the many piers for some seafood!
Bodie Island Lighthouse
Pronounced “body,” Bodie Island was originally known as Bodie’s Island or Body’s Island and got its name after the first immigrant settler, Robert Boddie or Boddy. With over 2000 documented shipwrecks off the coast of NC, folklore describes a darker reality of the bodies that may have washed ashore at times.
Day 3 – 106 miles
Whatever you didn’t get to do or see on the 1st day, you get to do today! Maybe you want to check out the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum or spend a little extra time exploring to town of Ocracoke. Whatever it is, don’t worry about the time. The ferry system runs until midnight. The ferry from Hatteras to Ocracoke is about 30 min. The ferry from Ocracoke to Cedar Island is about 2 hours and 15 min.
9 Bridges
5 Lighthouses
2 Ferries
One Unforgettable Experience
Together, we are champions of Yes!
Arthritis is a thief. People with arthritis know this full well. It steals everyday joys and long-term dreams. It isolates and ostracizes. It is painful. It induces a spirit of “No.”
It doesn’t have to be this way. There are unique ways of fighting for everyday victories. Champion of Yes sums up the essence of our goal, charting the course for the arthritis community, and helping families develop personalized plans for saying yes—day after day.
We Ride Differently
Fitness
Improving your fitness gives you the opportunity to pursue new adventures every day! Then something miraculous happens. As your physical fitness improves, so does your mental fitness. (Or vice versa. You cannot have one without the other.) As your mental fitness improves, your life improves. The ultimate reward of connecting both your physical and mental fitness to your daily life comes when you’re able to move beyond your own needs by serving others.
Community
At Carolina Multisports, our training is driven by purpose. We believe in utilizing the God-given talents and strengths we possess to serve others whenever possible. While exercise and physical fitness offer proven benefits, we find that true happiness comes from serving our community. Each year, we actively engage in multiple community projects, embodying our commitment to make a positive impact beyond the realms of sports and fitness.
Adventure
What makes an adventure truly unforgettable is the pursuit of new experiences, the new perspectives you gain, and the parts of yourself that you discover along the way. These are the stories you’ll tell for years to come and the moments that will inspire others to embark on their own adventures. So go ahead, step out of your comfort zone and into the extraordinary—the world awaits.
