Thanks for visiting Team Turtle’s Napa Valley Ride, Walk & Roll to Cure ALS team page. We are riding again this year to celebrate the life of Steve Ertel. Steve bravely battled ALS up until his passing in the Spring of 2019. Along the way, he showed his family and friends every day what it looks like to live with dignity, courage and humor. We miss him.

Steve’s humor lives on, as one of his favorite mispronunciations of his unusual last name serves as the inspiration for the “Team Turtle” moniker. Steve’s family and friends proudly formed the team for other successful fundraising efforts on the East Coast. We expanded Team Turtle’s efforts to the West Coast for the Napa Valley Ride in September of 2020. We will once again be riding with Steve on our minds and in our hearts, and also riding to challenge ALS and make a difference in the lives of those impacted by this devastating disease. Team Turtle is committed to raising money and awareness to support people in our community who are living with ALS. The time is now to join us and help us push towards a treatment and a cure.

Unlike Steve, most of us on Team Turtle aren’t elite athletes. So this ride is gonna hurt, but that shouldn’t deter you from suiting up and joining us. Plus, there are shorter riding distances and even a walk (see below). So we hope you will test your strength, push your limits, and join our team. We’d also be honored by any donations you’d consider towards our fundraising goal. Even better--how about doing both? Details below--

Event Details

The September 14, 2024 20th Annual Napa Valley Ride, Walk & Roll to Cure ALS is a one-day cycling event designed to appeal to every level of cyclist and supporter of The ALS Network. We offer a 100-mile “Century” route, two 62-mile “Metric Century” routes (one a "lite" route and one a challenge route), a 47-mile route, a 28-mile route, and a 9-mile route. We also have a short walk for any non-cyclists. If you need any help regarding equipment or training suggestions, reach out to Steve’s buddy Keir Beadling at keir.beadling@gmail.com. Steve routinely kicked Keir’s ass at any and all endurance events in which the two competed back in the day (as Keir wrote here -- https://kjbeadling.com/2019/04/09/to-be-his-off-color-court-jester-once-more/).

Join Team Turtle

Simply click the "Join Team" link on our team roster. Stay tuned for team updates, because we are looking into making up some Team Turtle gear for the event.

Make a Donation

Help us reach our fundraising goal. Select one of our team participants below, and click their name to donate on their behalf. All the money donated from this page will support Team Turtle’s overall goal.

About ALS

Often referred to as Lou Gehrig's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive, fatal neuromuscular disease that slowly robs the body of it's ability to walk, speak, swallow and breathe. Every 90 minutes a person in this country is diagnosed with ALS and every 90 minutes another person will lose their battle against this disease. Presently there is no known cause of the disease. Someone you know or love may die from ALS unless a cure is found. Caring for a loved one with ALS costs on average of $200,000 each year. ALS occurs throughout the world with no racial, ethnic, or socioeconomic boundaries. The average life expectancy of an ALS patient is two to five years from the time of diagnosis. ALS can strike anyone.

About Steve Ertel

Lots of warm memories and posts about the ongoing impact of Steve's life and work can be found here -- https://posthope.org/steve-ertel (private site, will require approval).