'Bike MS' Team About To Reach Major Fundraising Milestone

DENVER (CBS4) - One of the teams riding in this year's Bike MS is about to reach an amazing milestone. This year they will top the $1 million mark for fundraising.

The team with the unusual name "Raw Hinies" is ready to ride this Saturday. The name may sound funny but the group is on a serious mission -- they ride to stomp out multiple sclerosis.

"So as you add up what we've raised over the years, this year, in just a few thousand dollars, we will have raised $1 million," team member Jennifer Sales said.

The Raw Hinies started out 8 years ago with just 16 riders. This year they'll have 144.

"We have people who join the Raw Hinies that haven't ridden a bicycle since elementary school, or haven't been on a bike since high school," Sales said.

Sales helped start it all. She rides for her mother-in-law and cousin who have MS.

"Last year I raised over $4,400," team member Eric Carlton said.

Carlton just got in to cycling. He rides for his wife.

"You know the things I think about is my pain is going to go away, the stuff she deals with doesn't, unfortunately," Carlton said.

Riding 150 miles isn't easy and neither is raising $1 million.

"We do it by sending out letters, we have bake sales, we'll do garage sales," Sales said "We do a wine tasting in the fall."

The group will push hard knowing that every dollar they raise, every mile they ride, goes towards an incredible cause.

"I'm hoping that with the money that's raised maybe we'll come up with a cure," Carlton said.

The name Raw Hinies comes from all the long hours sitting on the saddle. The team is actually the second team to reach the $1 million mark.

If you'd like to donate to one of the Bike MS teams or watch the ride this weekend, visit the Bike MS website.

CBS4's Karen Leigh and Jim Benemenn will be riding with the CBS4 team.