North Coast to New England Bicycle Ride 

First-Ever Cleveland Clinic Innovations' North Coast to New England Ride Fundraiser Bike Ride Supports Cardiovascular Research at the Lerner Research Institute.

The ride is about 700 miles along the South Shore of Lake Erie through the beautiful Finger Lakes region and into New England. Along the route there will be a sag vehicle for bikers should they need support, supplies and/or help. The bikers plan to ride for 7 days, averaging 100 miles a day.

The Lerner Research Institute is home to all laboratory-based research at Cleveland Clinic. Its mission is to understand the causes of human diseases and to develop new treatments and cures. The Lerner Research Institute is ranked fifth in NIH funding among all U.S. research institutes. More than 1,000 scientists work in research programs focusing on cardiovascular, cancer, neurologic, musculoskeletal, allergic and immunologic, ophthalmic, metabolic, and infectious disease.

Cleveland Clinic, located in Cleveland, Ohio, is a not-for-profit multispecialty academic medical center that integrates clinical and hospital care with research and education. Cleveland Clinic was founded in 1921 by four renowned physicians with a vision of providing outstanding patient care based upon the principles of cooperation, compassion and innovation. U.S. News & World Report consistently names Cleveland Clinic as one of the nation's best hospitals in its annual America's Best Hospitals survey. Approximately 1,500 full-time salaried physicians at Cleveland Clinic and Cleveland Clinic Florida represent more than 100 medical specialties and subspecialties. In 2004, patients came for treatment from every state and 100 countries. Cleveland Clinic website address is www.clevelandclinic.org.

The riders include:

Christopher Coburn - Executive Director of Cleveland Clinic Innovations and ride organizer
Dick "Hoj" Hojnacki
Chris Pierce
Brian Maher
Jim Antal and
Miles Coburn

The riders will depart from Cleveland Saturday morning May 20 and will return by car on May 28th or 29th.

We will post reports and photographs of the ride each day at this blog.