In May, I'll be riding more than 400 miles from Boston to Montreal by bike to raise funds for the Boston Cyclists Union! My goal is to raise $4,000 to support the amazing work that they do. Your donation would mean the world to me as I set out on this exciting adventure with a few dozen other Bos/tréal riders. This is a challenging 400 mile trek through the mountains of Vermont, across an international border, all while sleeping each night in a tent on the ground. I need your support to make it a success!
This year is the 10th anniversary of Bos/tréal (!!) and a documentary crew will be following us to share the adventure with a bigger audience.
Be a part of something special and contribute today. I need 40 people to donate $100 to reach my goal. The ride starts May 23 and I'm hoping to raise $2,000 by the end of March.
Why Donate?
- Support the BCU
100% of your donation goes to support the BCU's mission! Boston Cyclists Union is a 501(c)(3) non-profit (hello, tax-deductible donation!) organization that works to improve bicycling for everyone in Boston. I believe in its mission, vision, and values, including people power, dignifying each person, mobility justice, joy and freedom, and sustainability. The BCU has successfully advocated for policy and infrastructure, including new protected bike lanes on Massachusetts Avenue South and Boylston Street. In 2023, before the bike lane, I biked on Boylston Street every day during rush hour -- the new lane is a huge improvement that keeps cyclists out of cars' way to the benefit of businesses, drivers, and cyclists alike. (That's right -- cars need bike lanes too! Driving in Boston is stressful enough, no need to add injuring a cyclist to your list of worries.)
The BCU recently held a day of action to protest the city not clearing this winter's plentiful snow from paths in a timely fashion. A group of volunteers shoveled a section of Commonwealth Avenue by hand -- and it worked! They received a ton of press and Comm Avenue was cleared out in the following days, along with Washington St in Downtown and parts of Mass Avenue. 311 calls have led to real progress across the network thanks to the BCU's timely work!
- Support me!
After moving from Montreal to Boston in 2019, I am moving back to Montreal later this year to get a Master's in urban planning with a focus in transportation (if all goes to plan.) I love both Montreal and Boston and I couldn't think of a better way to conclude this chapter and start the next. The BCU has done a lot for me while riding the streets of Boston and I feel I owe it to them to pay it forward and make bike infrastructure even better for the next generation! I've set an ambitious "sponsorship" fundraising goal for myself so that community members who can't as easily raise funds can join us on the ride.
This ride also matters to me for a more serious reason: in 2024, I crashed while riding my bike and fractured my shoulder. After months of physical therapy and strength training, I was recently able to start riding again and immediately noticed an improvement in my mental and physical health. Between work, life, and family, it can be hard to get enough movement in your day -- it certainly is for me. I want to change that and build a lifelong habit that will keep me healthy, outdoors, mobile, and fracture-free for years to come.
Our first training ride of the season was canceled because of the recent blizzard in Boston, but I was undeterred. Thanks to my plentiful Montreal-winter-biking experience, I ventured out and powered through the still-falling snow along a gorgeous (and wet) 52 km route (pictured below.) Your support would be the wind in my sails as I complete the next 11 training rides and the 400-mile, 5-day adventure back home!
- Do it for the perks!
That's right, if you donate today at the following tiers, in addition to my enormous gratitude, you get special perks! Get yours now while supplies last.
$20 - Email list. Join my donor-exclusive email list and receive updates on our weekly training rides, a link to follow our progress on the big ride, and photos of the beautiful places seen along the way!
$50 - Add to my playlist. Add an album of music (or hour-length piece of your choice) for me to listen to during the ride. Includes email list ($20 tier.)
$100 - Sponsor a training ride. Be thanked as the exclusive sponsor of one of the remaining 11 official training rides. Includes email list and add to my playlist ($20 and $50 tiers.)
$250 - Postcard from Montreal. I will send you a handwritten postcard from Montreal. Includes all previous tiers.
$500 or more - Gift package from Montreal. Receive a hand-curated collection of some of my favorite items from the best city in North America. Includes all previous tiers.
Other perks (bicycle themed dad jokes, anyone?) available by special request.
Thank you! Your support means the world to me and to the BCU. Any amount makes a big difference.
I'm ready to donate! How do I do it?
- Click the "Donate Now" button to donate online.
- If you have access to an employer match, please consider taking advantage of it to support my ride. Email me at guillaume.bouchard04@gmail.com for details.
- To donate by check: please include my name in the check's memo line (so it can be attributed to my ride) and mail the check to:
Boston Cyclists Union
P.O. Box 191710
Roxbury, MA 02119
