MS 150 bike ride kicks off in Proctor

More than 3,000 cyclists braved cool, rainy conditions on Saturday morning to kick off the 35th annual MS 150 bike ride from Proctor to the Twin Cities.
“It was a wet start, but our (riders) are troupers and they stuck through it,” said Emily Wilson, a spokeswoman for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s Upper Midwest Chapter. Wilson said there were some minor accidents along the way, but no serious injuries. The weather improved later in the day.
The two-day event started at Proctor High School and included an overnight stop in Hinckley; riders will continue on to White Bear Lake today. Riders follow the Willard Munger State Trail, though organizers said there would be an optional highway route this year for faster riders.
Exact fundraising totals for this year’s event were not yet available Saturday, but Wilson said organizers estimate it will have raised more than $3 million to support programs and research for people living with MS in the Upper Midwest.