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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

We have assembled the most frequently asked questions about Bike MS: Waves to Wine Ride. If your question is not listed, contact us.

Logistics | Accomodations | Transportation | Route Details | Fundraising & Financial Questions | Gear and Packing Suggestions | About My Account

Q: What are the start times?
A: Saturday: San Francisco - 7:00 am.  Sonoma County - 9:00 am.
Sunday: Sonoma County - 7:00 am.

Q: Where are the start, overnight and finish locations?
A: Start- Cow Palace, 2600 Geneva Ave, provides ample space for our festivities along with parking for our participants at a rate of $8 for the weekend. Overnight and finish- Sonoma Mountain Village, 1400 Valley House Dr, Rohnert Park, CA 94928.

Q: When and where will registration/packet pickup be held?
A: If you hit the $350 mark by August 31st, your packet will be mailed to you by September 4th. If you do not hit the $350 minimum by Aug 31st, we will have packet pick up on Friday, Sept 19th from 4:30-7:00pm at our SF offices located at 1700 Owens St or on Saturday morning at the start lines of the ride. For teams of more than 50 people, we will contact you to offer a packet pickup for your team, within 3 weeks prior to the event.

Q: Is there a deadline for online registrations? If so, what will be the cut-off time for day of event registration?
A: The deadline for online registrations is September 18, 2014. You can register up until the day of the ride.

Q: Where will parking be located and is there a cost?
A: Saturday to Sunday parking at the Cow Palace, 2600 Geneva Ave, is at a cost of $8. Parking at the overnight in Sonoma Mountain Village, 1400 Valley House Dr, Rohnert Park, is free.

Q: Will there be pre-event Friday night parking at either the Cow Palace or Sonoma Mountain Village?
A: No. There is no Friday night parking available at either the Cow Palace or Sonoma Mountain Village.

Q: Can I ride in Bike MS: Waves to Wine if I am under 18?
A: Yes, the minimum age requirement is 12 years old. Participants between 12 and 18 must provide a notarized waiver. Underage waivers are available at Bike Waiver - minors.

Q: I am coming from out of town and would like to rent or ship a bike in San Francisco. Do you have any suggestions?
A: Visit http://baycitybike.com/Waves-To-Wine.html for information about renting a bike for Bike MS: Waves to Wine. We have partnered with Waves to Wine to give you a 7.5% discount and match it with another 7.5% from Bay City Bike, donated to the Northern California Chapter! Enter coupon Code WAVESTOWINE at reservation process.

• Defy Composites are normally $78.00 per day/ 24 hrs
• DEFYs are normally $58.00 per day/ 24 hrs
• ROAMs are normally $40.00 per day/ 24 hrs

Sports Basement Bike Rentals:

• Online reservations (book early!): http://community.sportsbasement.com/rentals/bike/
• Aluminum frame road bike - $40/day
• Carbon frame road bike - $50/day
• Professional bike fit is $150 with our #1 nationally rated bike fitter Pedro Dungo (to schedule a bike fit please contact Pedro at: pdungo@sportsbasement.com

Q: What is the minimum donation required?
A: All riders (team captains, team members and individual riders) are required to raise a minimum of $350 in donations in addition to the registration fee. You have until the pledge deadline of November 3, 2014 to submit your donations and have them counted towards your pledge total for prize incentives and recognition in the wrap-up newsletter. The pledge deadline is approximately four weeks after the event.

Q: How long does it take a rider to finish in a day?
A:  The average is 8 to 16 miles per hour.  Remember though, that the Bike MS is not a race and everyone should ride at their own pace.

Q: What if my family or friends want to join me at the overnight for meals? Can they purchase tickets too?
A: Yes, friends and family are more than welcome to join you for the festivities. Non-registered riders will need to purchase a meal ticket for the following prices: $5 for breakfast, $5 for lunch and $10 for dinner. Tickets can be purchased at the Information Booth at the overnight. A vegetarian option will be provided at all meals.

Q: We are coming in from out of town for the ride. Are there hotel blocks available to us for Friday and Saturday nights?
A: We will have hotel rooming blocks posted on Saturday night in Sonoma County on our accommodations page.

Q: What are our sleeping/lodging options for the overnight?
A: We have official “host hotels" that will have reserved room blocks for us in the area. If you choose to stay at a non-participating hotel, you will be responsible for your own transportation. Camping is free and on site. Limited spaces are available. Please reserve a camping spot by logging into your participant center. On the “Home” tab, click on the “Confirm Your Camping” button and fill in your information.

Read our camping FAQs.

NOTE: Please check with your team captain before you make a reservation. Some team captains have already made group reservations with spots for all team members camping. In order to avoid duplicate camping spot reservations, please check with your captain first.

Q: I’m camping and need a tent. Where can I rent one?
A: Sports Basement offers tent rentals and reservations can be made online on their website here.

Q: What facilities will be made available to us at the overnight location?
A: There will be shower trucks and Port-o-Lets available. You will pick up your luggage at the overnight and will have your shower supplies with you to accommodate using these facilities.

Q: Will there be vegetarian options at the rest stops, lunch stops and dinners?
A: There will be plenty of options for all palettes. However, if you have very specific dietary requirements, we suggest that you bring supplemental food items with you to ensure you are properly fueled for the entire weekend.

Q: What is the shuttling situation for the weekend?
A: There will be shuttles running from the overnight location to our host hotels all afternoon and evening on Saturday, and returning Sunday morning to begin the Day 2 ride. We will NOT have shuttles on Saturday night from Sonoma Mountain Village to the Cow Palace. They are ONLY on Sunday. You will need to leave your bike in the SECURE overnight bike corral if using the shuttles - we cannot shuttle bikes. On Sunday, at the finish line, we will shuttle you, your bike and your gear back to the start line in San Francisco.  If you started at Sonoma County, there's no need for a shuttle as the start and finish locations are the same.

Q: I am only planning to do one day of the ride. Will there be shuttles available to me to return to my car after I am done riding?
A: Bike MS:  Waves to Wine is a 2-day ride. You are welcome to ride only one day, but will be responsible for your own transportation back to your car after you complete the ride.

Q: If I want to take a shuttle back to the start, where do I buy my ticket?
A: If you need a bus back to the ride start, and you did not purchase your ticket when you registered, you will need to do so prior to the ride. Log into your account and on the welcome page click on the highlighted box to purchase your ticket.  Shuttle tickets are non-refundable.

Q: Will there be shorter route options for participants?
A: We are offering a 40 mile route on Day 1 and a 50 mile route on Day 2.

Q: Will there be SAG support?
A: Yes. SAG vehicles will circle the route to assist with technical difficulties (i.e. flat tires), transport you to a mechanic station if the issue is more technical, or to ensure your safe arrival to the finish line each day.

Q: How far apart are the rest stops?
A: We plan to provide rest stops every 12 to 15 miles along the route. The distance from one stop to the next will be clearly noted so that you can properly prepare for the road ahead.

Q: What is the deductibility of my donors' contribution?
A: The National MS Society, Northern California Chapter is an IRS recognized 501(c)(3) charitable organization. All donations made to National MS Society are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by the law. End of year tax receipts are sent to every individual donor of more than $50. For donations under $50, the donor's cancelled check or credit card statement is sufficient evidence for IRS purposes, but we will send a tax receipt to any donor who requests one.
Registration, transportation and other fees are not generally accepted as tax deductible.

Q: What is the Northern California Chapter's Tax ID?
A: 94-1294935

Q: Is it safe to mail cash?
A: It is not safe to mail in cash. If you wish to turn in cash, please bring it to our offices located at the address below:
Bike MS: Waves to Wine
National MS Society
1700 Owens St., Suite 190
San Francisco, CA 94158 
*Checks should be made out to the National MS Society. Please put your full name and team name (if applicable) in the memo line of the check.

Q: Do matching gifts count?
A: Employer matching gifts are a great way to double your fundraising. For detailed information about matching gifts, please refer to our Matching Gifts FAQ.

Q: How do I turn in donations made by cash or check?
A: Mail or drop off your donations* at the chapter office:
Bike MS: Waves to Wine
National MS Society
1700 Owens St., Suite 190
San Francisco, CA 94158
*Checks should be made out to the National MS Society. Please put your full name and team name (if applicable) in the memo line of the check.

Q: What if my donors need a receipt?
A: All people who make an online donation via our website will receive an email confirmation that can be used for tax purposes. Those who send checks valued $100 or more will receive a thank you letter by mail that can be used for tax purposes. If you have a donor who needs a receipt, please let us know and we will be happy to provide one. Also, if you turn in donations within 2 weeks before or after the event, please let us know if one of those donors needs a receipt.

Q: Where does the money go?
A: Your money helps fund groundbreaking national and local research focused on stopping the progression of the disease, restoring function that's been lost and ending MS forever, and supports programs and services offered to the 12,000 people in Northern California living with MS. 

Q: What do I need to bring with me to Bike MS: Waves to Wine?
A: Suggested Gear List:

• Riding Gear: Bike, helmet, extra tubes, tire pump/CO2 cartridges, shorts, jerseys, socks, etc for both days
• Personal Fuel: gels, bars, energy drinks
• Lounging Gear: Comfy clothes and shoes, shower items (towel, soap, shampoo, etc) - there will be shower trucks at the overnight
• Camping Gear: (if you choose this option) - Tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, pillow, etc.

Q: Do I need to do anything special to prepare my bike for this ride?
A: We would suggest a tune up just prior to the ride to make sure that everything is in good working order. While training for the ride, you will have put lots of miles on your bike, so it will deserve a little TLC to make sure it is ready for Bike MS:  Waves to Wine. Sonoma county roads aren’t the smoothest roads, so we recommend you have a training ride in Sonoma County so you get more comfortable riding on bumpy roads.

Q: What do I do with my luggage?
A:  If you start in San Francisco, drop off your luggage upon your arrival and luggage trucks will transport your belongings to Sonoma where you can pick it up Saturday afternoon.  If you are taking the shuttle back to San Francisco on Sunday, make sure to load your luggage on the shuttle before boarding. 

Q: What is a Personal Page?
A: A personal page is an online promotional tool to use when asking your friends and family to join your team or sponsor you by making a donation. Once you sign up online, by default, a personal page is created for you. You can customize this page, including images, text, and style/color layout, by going to your account.

Q: By default I have a personal page. Do I have to change it?
A: Once you sign up online, by default, a personal page is created for you. A compelling personal page attracts and engages supporters. Customize your page by selecting the layout and style that work best for you. Utilize the elements of text, photo and status indicators to their fullest advantage. While you can spread the word using customized e-mail solicitations, your personal campaign page can be your own creative expression of your commitment to the mission of the National MS Society.

Q: How do I change my personal fundraising goal?
A: First, you will need to login to your account. On the Home page in your account you will see your current goal. To change your goal, click the 'change' link under your goal.

Q: How do I change my team name, team division or team goal?
A: If you are the team captain, you may login to your account and click the "Team Page" tab on top. On the Team Page, team captains have the ability to update the team name, division and goal. To change team goal, click 'Progress' tab on top, then click 'Team' link on the right side. Then click 'change' link under your team goal. Note that only the team captain has the ability to make these changes.

Q: How can I see who has donated to the team?
A: Login to the site using your username and password. Go to your account and click the "Progress" tab, then click "Team" on the right side to view your team donor list and amounts donated to date.

Q: How can I see who is on my team?
A:Login to the site using your username and password. Go to your account and click the "Progress" tab, then click 'Team' on the right side to view your team roster and the amounts raised by each team member.

Q: What is a team message?
A: Go to your accountand click the "Edit" link under the box that says 'Message from Your Team Captain'. This will allow you to make all necessary changes to your team message. Be sure to send an email to your team members to let them know that it has been updated.

Q: How can I see who has donated to me?
A:Login to the site using your username and password.  Go to your account and click the "Progress" tab; this will allow you to view your donor list and any amounts having been donated.

Q: I forgot my Username and Password.
A: Your username and password are case sensitive. Click here to find your password. You will receive an e-mail with your username and password. If you still have problems, please contact our office for help.

Q: How do I change my Username and/or Password?
A: Login to the site using your username and password. Click on the "Profile" link at the top of the page. Here, you can change your contact information, e-mail address, username and password. All changes are effective immediately. There is no need to log out and sign in again.

Q: How do I unsubscribe from e-mail?
A: Near the bottom of each e-mail message is a link that reads, "Click Here to Unsubscribe from this E-mail Message". Click this link and follow the instructions to unsubscribe.