Bike & Build's
Coastal Drift
New England, the B&B Way
Catch the Drift
This summer, B&B’s mid-summer East Coast ride will run from Maine’s Acadia national park to New York City. Over the course of 3 weeks and 830 miles, riders will weave in and out of some of the Northeast’s VIPs. With build days in island towns like Nantucket in addition to major metropolises Portland and NYC, riders will traverse both urban and rural landscapes and experience the mutable affordable housing issue that parallels the varied terrain.
Bike & Build is a 501(c)(3) independent nonprofit organization. We work with young adults to produce cross-country and regional fundraising cycling trips, open to participants ages 18-26. The proceeds from our events are disbursed to affordable housing organizations to underwrite projects chiefly planned and executed by young adults in this age group. Check out our main website @ bikeandbuild.org for more info.
The Skinny
On Fundraising
The fundraising requirement is $2250 and preference will be given to applicants who can ride for the entire 3 weeks. However, to make the ride accessible to those with commitments outside of spandex, the trip will be broken up into 1 week and 2 week sessions. Non alumni can sign up for week 1 (Bucks Port to Salem) or ride the full 3 weeks. Alumni have the option to join the trip in Salem and ride the final 2 weeks to NYC. The fundraising requirement for week 1 is $750 and the 2 week option is $1500.
Coastal drift riders will have a donation program similar to our cross country model. The proceeds will be donated in four ways:
- Competitive Grants: Riders will receive grant applications and make funding decisions via group consensus
- Individual Rider Grants: Riders who participate for the full 3 weeks can allocate $250 of their fundraising to an affordable housing organization of their choice
- Host Thank Yous: We will donate $100/ night stayed to an AH organization of our hosts' choice. The donation will be in their name
- Pre-Arranged Donations: Bike & Build will make pre-determined contributions to fund projects executed by groups Coastal Drift works with to produce the ride
Week 1
Bar Harbor to Salem
Boasting more coastline than California, Maine provides some of the most beautiful roads in the Northeast and riders will spend the majority of this week meandering along its shores. Starting in Bucks Port in the heart of Acadia National Park, riders will head south through a terrain dominated by lighthouses, beaches, and small coastal towns. Stopping in Portland for their first build, riders continue along the coast to historic Portsmouth and on to their second Proctor-ed build in Salem.
Cities Visited
- Bar Harbor, ME
- Bucksport, ME
- Camden, ME
- BoothBay Harbor, ME
- Portland, ME (BUILD)
- Portsmouth, NH
- Salem, MA (BUILD)
Weeks 2 & 3
Salem to New York City
Week 2 provides the first introduction to a seaboard metropolitan hub, as riders tackle the streets of Boston enroute to Plymouth. Ever heard of it, America? Next up are some of the Coast’s most recognizable names- Cape Cod and Nantucket- the latter serving as the site for the route’s third build day. Three more of the thirteen originals- Rhode Island, Connecticut and New York- are to follow and will be capped by a triumphant, final ride into New York City.
Cities Visited
- Carver, MA
- Nantucket, MA (BUILD)
- Marion, MA
- Little Compton, MA
- North Stonington, CT
- New Haven, CT (BUILD)
- Greenwich, CT
- New York, NY (BUILD)
Let's take a look
At the numbers
States Visited
Total Miles
Build Days
Ride Days
Bike & Build left such an impact on my life, who I am, and who I want to become and touch in my life. It was such a beautiful experience that I will always cherish.
Apply
Want to get in on this action?
This is a wicked easy 3 step process.
- Download the 2016 Rider Applicaton [pdf, 145kb]. Fill out the forms, print and sign.
- Create your online account in our system (starting 11/1/14 @ 12:24:24EDT).
- Have you ever applied with us before or done a trip? Even if you did nothing besides the online form we already have your info! Login to your account here, and look for the "Apply for a Summer Trip" link. If you forgot the password for your previous account you can reset it here.
- Login to our website with your handy new B&B account and upload the forms to the appropriate sections. Don't forget to write a short 400ish word bio and upload a picture for your future rider profile page!
- This step doesn't exist. It was a 3 step process, remember?
Too busy this year for Bike & Build? Give us your info, and we'll contact you when next summer's registration opens.
Who are we anyway?
Meet the team that will live the dream.
Eat. Sleep. Bike. Build.
The Scholarship
In 2016, Bike & Build will again offer scholarships to riders from at-risk backgrounds in Philadelphia to support their participation in Coastal Drift.
Learn more about the scholarship program
Support the Scholarship
Thank you for supporting our riders! The Bike & Build Scholarship increases access to volunteer service opportunities for young adults from underserved backgrounds in Philadelphia. Recipients will be enrolled in Coastal Drift, Bike & Build's summer regional ride in New England in 2016. For three weeks, riders will pedal as part of a team of 30 young adults. They will travel between multiple affordable housing organizations in Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New York, raising money and awareness to support these nonprofits. The scholarship is a life-changing opportunity for community engagement for those who may not otherwise have the chance to participate in such an event. Riders will develop skills in teamwork, leadership, and perseverance. This accomplishment will further engage scholarship recipients in service for many years beyond the completion of the trip. Bike & Build opens new doors to these young adults!
Donations will support riders’ required fundraising, the purchase of a bike, necessary cycling gear, and other expenses incurred during the program. After recipients are selected, riders will complete training miles, sweat equity build hours, and other preparations with the support of the Bike & Build Board, staff, sponsors, and community volunteers.
Please see our sponsorship packet (pdf, 1.5mb) to learn more about the success of last year’s scholarship program, the benefits of partnering with Bike & Build, and how to contribute. We appreciate your support!
If you would like to donate now, click below:
You can also donate by check payable to “Bike & Build.” Write “Scholarship” in the memo. Checks can be mailed to Bike & Build – 6153 Ridge Ave – Philadelphia, PA 19128.
Alumni Scholarship Support
Each year, Bike & Build solicits feedback from alumni. One of the most common suggestions is that we expand our outreach to young adults who might not have the resources or network to participate in B&B. Alums, the Bike & Build Scholarship was a direct result of your feedback. You played in a huge role in 2014, fundraising enough to provide one of our scholarship recipients with a bike to complete The Coastal Drift. This year, we are aiming for the Bike & Build network to fund a full scholarship!
We invite you to read more (pdf, 450kb) about the success of last year’s scholarship program the benefits of partnering with Bike & Build, and how to contribute. We appreciate your support!
If you would like to donate now, click below:
You can also donate by check payable to “Bike & Build.” Write “Scholarship” in the memo. Checks can be mailed to Bike & Build – 6153 Ridge Ave – Philadelphia, PA 19128.
Apply for a Scholarship
This summer, Bike & Build will grant a limited number of scholarships to Coastal Drift riders on the basis of need who demonstrate Bike & Build’s values: young adults with a passion for adventure and a commitment to making their community a better place. The scholarships will engage Philadelphia young adults from underserved backgrounds who may not otherwise have the opportunity to participate in B&B. Learn more here (pdf, 1.2mb).
Fill out the application (.docx, 740kb) and return to justin@bikeandbuild.org.
Questions related to the Scholarship?
Get in touchPast recipients say...
Thanks to our 2013 Sponsors
Contact Us
Drop us a line if you're interested in learning more about the ride or the scholarship.
© 2016 Bike & Build.