Monarch Crest Crank moves to Salida

Monarch Crest Crank Goes Big. Moves to Salida. Invites more Riders!

For 2011, the Alliance Against Domestic Abuse (AADA) is working to put on a bigger and better Monarch Crest Crank (MCC) event on August 21.  Start spinning your wheels – it’s time to start thinking about mountain biking for a cause in Salida.

Now in its 13^th year, the Monarch Crest Crank fundraising ride for AADA is one of the oldest bike events in Central Colorado and remains one of the premier bike events of the summer in Salida.

The MCC is evolving into a bigger and better event with two new rides, a new staging area in downtown Salida and a soon to be famous after-party in Riverside Park.

Crossing the Sky on the Monarch Crest Trail.

“People throughout Colorado love the Monarch Crest Trail and AADA has led this great ride for over a decade.  It’s one of the best events in our community and one of the best bicycle event ‘deals’ in Colorado,” said event director Nathan Ward.

There are a few big changes in the event this year.  To start with, AADA is moving the Crest Crank from its traditional home in Poncha Springs to Salida in order to accommodate a more flexible schedule and more riders.  Second, the new rides mean that people of all ages and abilities can now get involved in the Crest Crank.

Advanced mountain bikers can tackle the Crest.  Intermediate bikers can join an organized ride on the Salida Mountain Trails and cyclists of any age or fitness level can ride the Historical Salida Cruiser Ride, which will wind through downtown Salida and visit spots of local historical significance.

Finally, all the cyclists, guides and volunteers will gather for an after-ride party in Riverside Park where AADA will award a stylish cruiser bike to the cyclist who raises the most pledge money over $500.

Besides great rides, what makes the Monarch Crest Crank such a fantastic event is that it raises funds for AADA, a non-profit organization that works with victims of domestic violence and sexual assault throughout Chaffee County (www.SalidaAlliance.org).

In 2010, AADA served 236 adult and child victims with crisis intervention, emergency safehousing, support groups, advocacy, financial assistance and peer counseling. Over the last two years, AADA has seen an increase in the number of victims needing services and in the severity of violence experienced by these victims.

Money raised from the Monarch Crest Crank directly benefits victims in our community giving them the tools and resources necessary to begin a life free from abuse.

“We’ve got a great start on sponsorship for the MCC.  The businesses that have already stepped up to support AADA’s work and the MCC include Absolute Bikes Adventures, Salida Mountain Sports, Outside TV Salida, the Salida Café/Sacred Grounds and South Central Racing,” said Ward.

“We are looking for a much larger pool of sponsors, volunteers, riders and even individual donors” explained Ward.  “During the economic recession, funding for AADA’s critical work has decreased, so the Crest Crank has become an even more important event this year.”

For more details, please visit the new Monarch Crest Crank website – www.MonarchCrestCrank.com.  Registration for the 2011 Monarch Crest Crank is now open and AADA is signing up riders.