Join the Payden Memorial Foundation for this spectacular fundraising bicycle ride through the Bridger Mountains and the scenic Shield's River Valley. Our ride starts and ends in Livingston, heading over Bozeman Pass and Jackson Creek Road, up over Battle Ridge, and downhill through rolling country to Sedan, east to Wilsall, and then down through Shields Valley and back into Livingston via the Old Clyde Park Road. Blazing Saddles offers great opportunities for advanced, intermediate and beginning cyclists to cycle over a choice of distances, to train with passion for a great ride, and to be part of a wonderful day that benefits an important and meaningful cause.

This ride is our major fundraising event, and each year more and more participants help raise money for our foundation. Fabulous prizes will be given to the top fundraisers on the ride. Friends and family are invited to cheer you on and to join us for a scrumptious picnic and Summerfest activities at Sacajawea Park following the ride.

REGISTRATION INFORMATION:

• Online registration can be paid with VISA, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover.
• Blazing Saddles VII is limited to 175 riders. Registration will close after 175 riders are registered.
• Registration fees:
  
  • $40 for individual Riders. Teams must register each rider individually.
    
  • $100 for a Family Group of 3 or more. A Family Group means a group of related individuals.
• Please set a fund-raising goal of at least $200. 
  The minimum fund-raising requirement for individual riders and each member of a family group to join the ride is $100. Example: You are joining the ride as a Family group with three members/riders: Your minimum pledge amount is $100 per rider, or $300. We have to set this reasonable minimum to ensure that we cover the costs of making this event possible.
• To complete your online registration, you must read and agree to the online waiver. In addition, we'll ask that you sign a paper Release Form when you sign in and pick up your ride bib on the day of the ride.
• If you prefer to register using our paper forms, download and mail the paper 2008 REGISTRATION AND RELEASE FORM and get a copy of the Pledge Form and Brochure. If you complete a paper registration, you will still be able to use our online registration system to create a personal or team pledge page. Just come back here and click Create a Pledge Page in the main menu.

PLEASE USE THE MENU OPTIONS AT THE TOP OF THIS PAGE TO:

• Register for the ride online. Click REGISTER FOR RIDE on the main menu. In addition to entering your registrant information, you will be asked to enter a username and password. Write down your username and password so you can easily return to your account info at any time.
  

• Create an (optional) online Pledge Page. When you register, you'll be directed to creating your optional personal pledge page. If you are not redirected, click Create a Pledge Page on the main menu, and then:
  
  • Click the "Login to my account" (below the Main Menu, top left of page).
  • In the Username and Password fields, enter the username and password that you used when you registered for the ride. You might want to bookmark your Pledge Page so you can easily return to it if you want to update it. Have fun with your page, upload pictures, report your training progress, or talk about why you are riding. There is an option on that page to email friends to tell them about your ride and ask for pledges. The Pledge Page is a great tool for increasing your pledge power!
    


• If you have registered for the event using our paper registration forms, you can still create a personal or team pledge page. Click Create a Pledge Page and follow the instructions.

FUNDRAISING INCENTIVES FOR RIDERS:

• All participants receive a free water bottle, Blazing Saddles tee shirt, and a mileage sticker to proudly display on helmet or bike.
• Riders who raise $200 or more and turn in pledges by May 1, 2008 earn a Blazing Saddles Bicycle jersey, an official jersey with the Blazing Saddles logo.
  
• Riders who raise $1000 or more and turn in pledges by May 1, 2008 earn a Yellow Blazing Saddles jersey. It's our version of the coveted maillot jaune.
• GRAND PRIZES^*, awarded after the ride: The top individual fund raiser will receive a Specialized bicycle worth $4,000. There are great prizes for other top fund raisers.
  
• Ask your employer if they match donations. Employer matching funds apply toward your totals for all incentives EXCEPT the $4000 Specialized bicycle.
• To be eligible for the jersey incentives, we must receive your pledges by May 1, 2008. We need the lead time to have the jerseys printed in your size.

^*Turn in all of your fund raising pledges by Friday, July 11 to be eligible for the fund-raising grand prizes.
We hope you'll join us for the end-of-ride picnic at Sacajawea Park. At around 1:30 PM, we'll announce fund raising-totals, the top fund-raisers and their prizes, and we'll take a group photo. Enjoy the picnic food, the camaraderie with fellow riders, and please stay for these and other announcements.

Employer matching funds count toward all of the fund-raising incentives EXCEPT the $4,000 SPECIALIZED BICYCLE. Only pledges from individuals count toward the bicycle. (This makes it fair for those who can't get the benefit of employer matching funds.)

THE DAY OF THE RIDE:

Everyone MUST WEAR A BICYCLE HELMET!

Blazing Saddles VII mileage options. (Enter your mileage goal when you register):

• 100 () mile century or 81 (/-) miles starting in Livingston, heading over Bozeman Pass to Jackson Creek Road, then over Battle Ridge Pass to Shields Valley, ending in Livingston at Sacajawea Park. Century riders will add miles on Shields River Road, just north of Wilsall.
• 65 (/-) miles starting at or near Malmborg School on Jackson Creek Road and ending in Livingston via Battle Ridge Pass.
• 45 miles starting the ride at the top of Battle Ridge Pass for a fabulous downhill jaunt into Livingston through Shield's Valley.
• 30 mile family fun ride - From Wilsall into Livingston. Perfect for families who want to ride together or for beginning cyclists who feel intimidated by longer miles.

Our mileage chart shows the distances between points. Download it in either: XLS  OR  PDF.

Ride Starting Points – This is where you go to sign in and pick up your ride day materials. If you change your mind about your ride length on ride day, you still have to sign in at the starting point for the mileage option you chose when you registered.

100 mile, or 81 mile ride begins in Sacajawea Park. SIGN-IN is from 6 to 7 AM. (!00 mile riders: start early. If you are not at the turnoff (just north of Wilsall) to the extra stretch for 100 mile riders by 11:00 AM, you won't be able to complete the ride. Liability issues require that we ask you to continue on w/o doing the extra miles.)

65 mile ride begins at the Bozeman Pass historical marker pullout on the Frontage Road. SIGN-IN is from 6:30 to 7:30 AM.

45 mile ride begins at the Battle Ridge picnic area. SIGN-IN is from 7:30 to 8:30 AM.

30 mile ride begins at the Blazing Saddles rest stop in Wilsall. SIGN-IN is from 8:00 to 9:00 AM.

Rest Stops and Sag Wagon Support:

• Check-in at the finish line so we know you completed the ride and are back safe and sound. You'll get your water bottle, tee shirt, and stciker.
  
• Enjoy a free massage.
• Delicious food will be served starting at 11:30 AM. We'll have snacks and beverages for the early finishers. Eat up; you've earned it!
• At around 1:30 PM, we'll announce fund raising totals, the top fund-raisers and their prizes, and we'll take a group photo. we hope you'll stick around for that.
  
• We can't offer shuttle service back to your car, so please have your transportation arranged ahead of time.

If you can't ride, please consider sponsoring a rider, volunteering,
or making a general donation to the Payden Memorial Foundation.