20 years. More than 5000 miles, give or take. Thousands of riders. Countless hugs, tears, and cheers from the side of the road. And, if everything goes according to plan, $10 million raised for research to end ALS.

The Tri-State Trek has built quite a legacy over the past two decades, and there is no better time to celebrate it than June 24-26th 2022 – the year that will mark the 20th annual Trek, as well as the return to its traditional three day, 270-mile format.

The Trek started back in 2003, with 16 cyclists pedaling from Boston to New York and raising $30,000 for ALS research along the way. Since then, it has grown to become the marquee fundraising event for the ALS Therapy Development Institute, with hundreds of riders each year raising hundreds of thousands of dollars to help end ALS.

It’s also become something of a yearly family reunion – from the cyclists who return to ride year after year, to the volunteers who make the event run smoothly, to the supporters who show up to cheer everyone on, the event has fostered a strong community throughout its 20 years.

To celebrate the 20th Trek, we talked to Ride Marshall Kevin Porter and Bike Mechanic Ric Starry – two people who have been volunteering for the ride since nearly the beginning, and the namesakes of the Starry-Porter award for outstanding trek volunteers – about what keeps them coming back, year after year.