Posts tagged Little Buff
Buff Classic “epic” bike ride aiming higher
Aug 27th
Hundreds of benefactors to bicycle farther,
higher for CU-Boulder scholarships Sept. 8
higher for CU-Boulder scholarships Sept. 8
If the distance and difficulty of Colorado’s many organized bicycling events is any indication, a flat, 100-mile bicycle ride is not, for many riders, quite tough enough.
That’s one reason the 11th annual Buffalo Bicycle Classic’s longest route will go farther and climb higher than any of the event’s courses so far. The “Buff Epic” will span 110 miles and ascend a total of 6,250 feet. It retraces much of the most mountainous section of Stage 6 of the 2012 USA Pro Cycling Challenge.
The Elevations Credit Union Buffalo Bicycle Classic is scheduled for Sept. 8 and is expected to draw more than 2,000 participants. The event raises scholarship funds for high-performing University of Colorado Boulder students who qualify for financial aid.
The epic century ride will start on campus, ascend Boulder Canyon to Nederland, follow the Peak to Peak Highway past Ward, descend St. Vrain Canyon to Lyons, head north to Carter Lake and turn south to return to Boulder.
During the Buff Epic, Boulder Canyon’s westbound lane will be closed to traffic from 7 a.m. to approximately 9:30 a.m. Male and female riders in five age groups will compete for polka-dotted jerseys, signifying their climbing prowess. They will be judged by their times on the ascent of a 13.5-mile section from the base of Boulder Canyon to Barker Reservoir.
Times will be measured by individual riders’ GPS devices and recorded on Strava.com. While there is the canyon competition, ride organizers emphasize that the Buffalo Bicycle Classic is not a race but a ride for those of all strength and ability levels.
The 2013 Buffalo Bicycle Classic includes its traditional courses that cater to all cycling abilities: These courses include the 70-mile, 50-mile, 35-mile and 14-mile Little Buff family-friendly community ride.
“The Buffalo Bicycle Classic accommodates riders of every ability,” said Todd Gleeson, former dean of the CU-Boulder College of Arts and Sciences and one of the ride’s founders. Gleeson, a professor of integrative physiology, directs CU-Boulder’s new Health Professions Residential Academic Program.
“The Buffalo Bicycle Classic combines two things close to our hearts: access to higher education and the love of bicycling,” Gleeson said. “An event that combines both improves town-gown relations, heightens riders’ physical fitness and, most importantly, lowers one barrier to higher education.”
Since 2003, the Buffalo Bicycle Classic has raised more than $1.8 million for scholarships and funded about 800 scholarships.
Chris Kerns, who graduated cum laude in anthropology from CU-Boulder in 2005, is one of those scholarship recipients. He is now finishing a Ph.D. in archaeology at the University of Southampton, England, and figures he’s one of a relative few scholarship recipients who have completed a Buff Bike Classic century ride.
“Any opportunity to support deserving students in their academic endeavors is absolutely worth it. Great young minds can achieve amazing things as long as they get the support necessary to further their goals,” Kerns said. “The scholarship from the Buffalo Bicycle Classic is one way in which to support and inspire students to succeed and accomplish amazing things.”
Scholarship recipients are selected based on grade-point average and financial need. They cannot apply for the scholarship and don’t know they are being considered until they learn they have won. All net proceeds go toward scholarships, and a portion of the registration fee is tax-deductible.
For more information on the Buffalo Bicycle Classic visit http://www.buffalobicycleclassic.com. To see a 2012 CU Foundation video of scholarship recipients discussing what the scholarship meant to them visit http://youtu.be/Pj1l_ihaA8w.
-CU-
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THOUSANDS OF RIDERS IN BUFFALO BICYCLE CLASSIC WILL HELP CU-BOULDER STUDENTS WITH SCHOLARSHIPS
Aug 19th
In 1991, when Punam Chatterjee was 20 months old, a drunk driver careened into her parents’ car. Her leg was shattered, as was her father’s. Her mother lost an eye. Although she was too young to remember it, she has since learned that while her parents convalesced, nurses volunteered to comfort her and read to her.
“I don’t know any of those people … but what they did for me was just incredible,” Chatterjee recalled.
She still has multiple screws in her leg, and while she said she’s “never going to try out for the Army,” she is active. And she is ambitious: “I want to be a doctor and help children who went through what I did.”
Throughout her education at the University of Colorado Boulder, the Elevations Credit Union Buffalo BicycleClassic has helped Chatterjee pursue her dream. She graduated in May with degrees in psychology and neuroscience plus molecular, cellular and developmental biology.
Chatterjee is one of the hundreds of recipients of $1.4 million in scholarship money raised by CU’s Buffalo Bicycle Classic since its founding in 2003.
The event is the brainchild of Todd Gleeson, dean of CU’s College of Arts and Sciences, and Woody Eaton, a 1962 alumnus, businessman, investor and philanthropist. The pair hatched the idea of a fundraising ride for scholarships while cycling together in support of The Children’s Hospital.
Gleeson and Eaton enlisted the help of Frank Banta and Gail Mock of Boulder. Banta, of Banta Construction, is a 1972 alumnus, and Mock, of Mock Realty, is a longtime university supporter. The event is organized and overseen by volunteers.
The event has generated 548 scholarships for good students who need financial support. Students cannot apply for the scholarship and don’t even know they’re in the running until they learn they have won. It is the single largest source of scholarships in theCollege of Arts and Sciences, which is the largest of the university’s colleges and schools.
The event was canceled last year because of the Fourmile Canyon Fire, but because most riders and sponsors did not request a refund, scholarships remained funded.
Scholarship recipients call it a significant windfall.
Leslie Fowler, a current scholarship recipient majoring in classics, put it this way: “I am so grateful to have been selected as a BBC scholar because it makes me feel more confident about paying my student loans after graduation. It makes me feel that much closer to having my dream job as a high school teacher.”
Cyclists of all ages and abilities are gearing up for this year’s Elevations Credit Union Buffalo Bicycle Classic on Sept. 11 in Boulder. Ambitious cyclists can ride the 100-mile, 70-mile, 50-mile or 35-mile rides. More casual riders, including families and recreational riders, are encouraged to ride the 14-mile Little Buffalo, which will include snow cones and complimentary face paintings.
Riders are encouraged to register early, as the ride will be capped at 2,500 cyclists, a number the ride has attracted in recent years.
All cyclists participating in this fully supported, fundraising ride will generate scholarship funds. Online registration of $95 for the longer rides includes a scholarship donation of$45. Registration for the Little Buffalo is $65 for participants 14 and older and $35 for riders from 8 to 13.
Those who “Ride the Buffalo” will start and finish on the CU-Boulder campus at Benson Field, located across Colorado Avenue from Folsom Field. The longer courses traverse through Boulder and Larimer counties. The 14-mile Little Buff is a fun cruiser ride around Boulder to the town of Marshall; it is perfect for those who want to participate but don’t want to face long courses and busy roads.
Registration for all rides includes a Ride the Buffalo T-shirt, water bottle, aid-station treats, breakfast and lunch. Jerseys, socks and other merchandise are available separately. An expo featuring sponsors will be held at the start/finish, and riders can win raffle prizes and enjoy after-race food, beverages and entertainment.
Riders can register online at http://www.buffalobicycleclassic.com. Walk-up registration is available the day of the ride and includes a $10 late fee. For information call 303-735-1569 or email bbc@colorado.edu.
