More than 20 cyclists will pedal their way across 2,400 miles from Calgary, Alberta, to Austin, Texas, this October to help raise awareness and funds for the fight against cancer. The cyclists can be tracked along the way by their fans via CSI Wireless Inc.’s global positioning system technology.
CSI designs and manufactures GPS and wireless products usually used by trucking companies, car-rental companies and other such fleet vehicle owners. But CSI decided to sponsor the Calgary to Austin Peloton Project (CTAPP) for philanthropic reasons. A peloton is the main, densely packed group of cyclists in a race.
“Our vehicle-tracking capabilities will enable CTAPP supporters to monitor the event’s progress so closely that they’ll know when the cyclists have crossed specific intersections,” said Stephen Verhoeff, president and chief executive of CSI Wireless. “We hope our involvement will generate more interest in-and financial support for-the peloton project.”
In relay teams of four to five members, the cyclists will ride 24 hours per day. All the while, CSI’s wireless tracking technology will transmit the cyclists’ global GPS-derived location data back to CSI’s headquarters in Calgary, and the data will be posted on maps accessible from the CTAPP Web site and updated every 10 minutes.
CSI also provided its GPS tracking technology to the Sea to Sea bike tour, which spanned about 4,500 miles from Vancouver, Wash., to Halifax, Va., and ended Sept. 3. And in late July, CSI furnished its GPS technology to the North American Solar Challenge, a Department of Energy event that challenges entrants to design, build and race solar-powered vehicles from Austin to Calgary.
The Calgarian cyclists hope to raise $500,000 for the Lance Armstrong Foundation, which has promised to donate the money to a Canadian cancer research firm. Lance Armstrong likely will greet the cyclists as they approach Austin, riding the last several miles alongside them. CTAPP founder Brian McGregor, like Armstrong, is a survivor of testicular cancer.
“We are happy to team up with CSI Wireless in our fight against cancer,” said Mike Crape, co-chair of CTAPP. “It is through such support that we will be able to truly make a difference.”
