Linda Asbell will be one of many riders in the American Diabetes Association’s Tour de Cure fundraising ride next Saturday.

Asbell is part of a 23-member bike team called “Kicking Asphalt,” which is sponsored by Farmers Bank. For the Tour de Cure, the team is called “Kate’s Crew — In Memory of Ellis” in memory of a friend’s son, Ellis Sullivan who died from diabetes at the age of 31. Kate is team captain Kristin Byars’ niece, who was diagnosed with diabetes at 18 months old and now is 18 and will graduate from Grassfield High School this year.

As “Kate’s Crew” bikes around Suffolk’s countryside, the connection with Ellis Sullivan will be more than the memorial of the tagline in its name. Sandra Sullivan, Ellis’ mother, will be volunteering at the event.

“I am thankful that he will be remembered in a place that he never was able to visit,” she stated in a text message.

Asbell said this will be her fourth time doing the Tour de Cure. She plans to do the 65-mile route, she said.

“You’re doing it for a good cause,” she said. “It’s good exercise. It’s fun. It’s a beautiful course.”

When Asbell first signed up for the Tour de Cure at age 50, she did the 100-mile route, which sounds overwhelming. However, Asbell, now 55, likes to remind folks that there are rest stops every 13 miles or so.

“It’s a lot of fun, chatting along the way and encouraging everybody,” she said. “And there’s rest stops all along the way.”

Asbell said simply signing up for the ride gets you exercising, because you need to train properly.

“It gets you out riding,” she said. “When you sign up for an event, that helps you practice and get out on the road and get in miles.”

The 2017 Hampton Roads Tour de Cure will take place April 29, beginning and ending at King’s Fork High School. The route options are 10, 25, 65 or 100 miles.

There is a $25 registration fee and a $200 fundraising minimum. The fundraising goal is $450,000; so far about $255,000 has been raised.

Visit www.diabetes.org/hamptonroadsvatour for more information about the fundraiser or to volunteer.