13th Jim Krause Memorial Charity Cycling Ride set for Nov. 7

Six hundred cyclists will be capped for the 25-mile and Metric Century routes of the 13th Annual Jim Krause Memorial Charity Cycling Ride the Point on Saturday, Nov. 7. The event begins and ends at Liberty Station in San Diego. Proceeds go to pancreatic cancer research at Moores Cancer Center at UC San Diego Health in La Jolla.

The ride is sponsored by the Point Loma Rotary Club. It honors Jim Krause, a former club president who died in 2012 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. The club holds the fundraiser annually in his name.

Richard Stakelum, Ed.D., serves as founder and event director. He described the event as a community gathering with a shared purpose to fight pancreatic cancer. "Every rider, volunteer, sponsor, and supporter becomes part of that mission," Stakelum said. "You may come for the ride, but you leave knowing that your miles meant something."

The event offers three distinct options for participants. The 5-mile Family Fun Ride runs along San Diego Bay. It is designed for cruisers, beginning riders, challenged athletes, and families. The 25 Mile and Metric Century routes are street rides limited to 600 participants. These routes include exclusive paths and challenging climbs.

A free Healthy Lifestyle Expo will take place at the Liberty Station Conference Center, 2600 Laning Rd., from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Nov. 7. The expo features local vendors, music, and refreshments for the public.

Logistics include SAG support and five fully stocked rest stops along the route. Hundreds of volunteers will be present to assist riders. The routes pass through historic neighborhoods and scenic areas of San Diego.

Stakelum emphasized the collective nature of the event. "Cyclists of different ages and abilities come together, supported by volunteers, sponsors, friends, and families, for something bigger than any one of us," he said. He noted that the ride turns a day on a bicycle into a larger effort to support the fight against the disease.