NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. — Over 200 cyclists arrived in Niagara Falls Saturday evening, after riding over 500 miles across New York State for a worthy cause.
More than 225 cyclists participated in this year's Empire State Ride, to help raise money for cancer research at the Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. In addition to Western New Yorkers, riders from across the country participated in this year's ride, including ones from California, Florida, Michigan, and Vermont.
Over the course of seven days, participants rode their bikes through the Hudson River Valley, Mohawk River Valley, and the Erie Canal corridor.
"Some people are really seasoned bikers some people aren't but I think when you're doing seven days 560 miles that's a lot of time in the saddle and for everybody mental toughness and coming over the mental obstacle you might have is probably the toughest challenge," said Terry Bourgeois.
Each rider raised at least $3,500 for cancer research, for a grand total of $1.6 million.
Since its inception in 2014, the Empire State Ride has raised over $4.5 million for cancer research at the Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center.