GORE BAY—The Gore Bay Rotary Club Bay to Bay Bicycle Ride will once again benefit the community this year.
“This year will mark our fifth year of the Bay-to-Bay Ride,” said Rotarian Peter Carter. “We have raised close to $50,000 over the first four years of the ride. This year we decided to lower the registration fee to $35, and hopefully we will be able to make a generous donation to the Lyons Memorial United Church food cupboard.”
The ride will take place this Saturday, August 10. “We have had so many people asking for a 50-kilometre route that we will have one this year to go with the 100- and 200-kilometre routes,” said Mr. Carter.
“We make the routes different every year so that riders truly have a feeling of the beauty of Western Manitoulin and the area around Gore Bay,” said Mr. Carter. “This year we will be highlighting Barrie Island, and all three routes will have a portion of the ride that includes it.” He noted the ride normally brings in many riders from Sudbury and area to take part and is hopeful this will be the case again this year.
“We also have a couple of riders from Sarnia taking part this year,” said Mr. Carter. “In fact, one of the riders will be riding from Sarnia to Gore Bay before taking part in our ride.”
“We would not be able to do all of this without Breakaway Sports and the Quackenbush family who are a big promoter of our ride and cycling on Manitoulin Island,” said Mr. Carter.
All three ride loops will be supported with volunteers on hand to support the riders if their bikes break down, or they need water. And “a high-quality lunch will be provided, with the sandwiches being made by members of the Lyons Memorial United Church auxiliary,” continued Mr. Carter.
For this year’s ride, “we will be staggering the starting times for the three loops more effectively so each loop will finish around 3-4 pm in the afternoon,” said Mr. Carter. The 200-kilometre ride will begin at 7 am, followed by the 100-kilometre ride at 9 am and the 50-kilometre ride at 11 pm. All ride routes start and finish at the Harbour Pavilion on the Gore Bay waterfront.
Mr. Carter pointed out one of the riders, Jeff Smith, is representing Manitoulin Transport which is a major sponsor of the ride, along with Split Rail Brewing Company and Pat Noble Lumber.
“The Gore Bay Western Manitoulin Lions Club will be hosting a light dinner later after the ride at the Harbour Pavilion,” said Mr. Carter.
“The funds from this year’s ride is again going to a great cause,” said Mr. Carter. People can register online at GoreBayRotary.org and follow the links to United Church Bay to Bay Ride.
