With upwards of 11,000 participants, the annual Houston-to-Austin bike ride is one of the largest fundraisers supporting research and vital services for Multiple Sclerosis, a disabling disease that interrupts the flow of information from the brain to the body and can ultimately stop people from moving.  Thus far, the 2018 event has raised more than $11 million for this very worthy cause. 

Taking off from Rhodes Stadium in west Houston, 25 Team EDP Renewables riders made their way through the Central Texas heat and humidity to the campsite in the city of La Grange, halfway between Houston and Austin.  The National MS Society moved the date of the event to avoid the weather-related cancellations that have occurred over the past few years, and the change of dates paid off with absolutely perfect riding conditions the whole weekend.  For returning riders, the constant tailwind was a welcome departure from the ride-day weather that was experienced last three years.

Welcoming cheers, signs, and smiling faces greeted riders as they crossed the finish line and were fed warm food and cold beverages.  Signs were decorated by volunteers in the Houston office, showcasing their wit and creativity, as well as their support of the team.  At the end of the day on Sunday, April 29, all Team EDP Renewables team members had safely and successfully completed the two-day ride.

The weekend itself went off without a hitch, and that is in large part due to 14 wonderful volunteers, many from EDPR NA or from employees’ families, who dedicated an entire weekend’s worth of early mornings and late nights to set up and strike the Saturday night campsite, provide snacks, transport luggage and bikes, load and unload trucks and cars, and support the riders in their endeavor.  Perhaps the biggest highlight of the weekend was the BBQ dinner that was prepared in La Grange on Saturday by the Los Mirasoles Wind Farm team who drove to La Grange from south Texas just to volunteer at the event. 

Team EDP Renewables has raised upwards of $19,000 this year, an average of $700 per rider.