The beer was cold, the music was hot and the clouds kept the temperature just right for a bike ride to raise funds for breast cancer prevention.
About 400 cyclists of all ages and skill levels descended upon Taylor this past weekend for the 2022 Texas Mamma Jamma Ride beginning at Heritage Square and featuring courses of different lengths.
The Texas Mamma Jamma Ride is a yearly event that raises funds in support of Lone Star Circle of Care’s Big Pink Bus, which brings affordable mobile mammogram services to lowincome and underserved women in the region.
Ride organizers said the event this year has raised more than $400,000 and is expected to reach near $500,000 when the fundraising ends later this year. Since the ride was launched in 2009, more than $2 million has been raised to combat breast cancer.
“It was a fantastic year,” said Marion Martin, the ride director. “People had a good time, and we raised lots of money, and I would say if it wasn’t the best, it was right up there.”
Marion said so many things went right this year, starting with nice temperatures for a bike ride.
“The weather was great,” Martin said. “We had lots of big puffy white clouds that kept the sun from shining on us too badly.
In addition, participants enjoyed the farmer’s market, a live music performance from the Taylor-based southern rock band The Gabor Nicholson Band, delicious food provided by Greenhouse Craft Food as well as beer from Texas Beer Company, which also sponsored a team this year called “The Locals” that raised $15,000.
Texas Beer Company’s Megan Klein said she and husband JD Gins enjoyed the experience.
“It was great,” Klein said. “My husband and I both did further than we did last year. We both did 15 (miles) last year, and this year, I did 25, and he did 50, so we pushed ourselves, which was good.”
Klein said the duo likes to sponsor the event every year.
“It’s fun,” Klein said. “It’s kind of a good symbol of what’s to come in Taylor that we can do fun things that bring in so many people from outside of the community.”
Indeed, Martin said that Taylor is a popular venue for out of towners.
“It’s small-town Texas fun for folks coming in from bigger cities,” Martin said. “We look forward to being back in your town on Sept. 16, 2023.”
