Eight MCC bike rides planned for 2001

Mennonite Central Committee
Friday, 9 March 2001

AKRON, Pa. -- Beautiful scenery and exercise for a good cause await participants in 2001 bicycle tours that benefit Mennonite Central Committee (MCC). Eight rides across Canada and the United States welcome riders of all ages and skill levels.

Riders raise money for MCC through registration fees and pledges. (Please note: All registration fees and pledge amounts are given in U.S. dollars for U.S. rides and Canadian dollars for Canada rides.)

Tri-State Bike Ride, June 16. Scenic hills and pristine nature await riders in this 89.6 kilometer (56-mile) round trip ride along the Yough River Trail in Pennsylvania. The ride is connected with the Tri-State Relief Sale for Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Maryland. A $25 registration fee is suggested. For more information, contact John Hepler: (814) 662-2147, jhepler@gcnet.net; or David Hiebert: (724) 887-3363 ext. 281, Hiebert@a1usa.net. The Web site is www.home.a1usa.net/~hiebert/tri-state-bike/Tri-state-2001.htm.

Bike the Whiteshell, June 23 to 24. This 160-km. (100-mile) ride takes bikers through scenic, hilly Whiteshell Provincial Park in Manitoba. Participants also have the option of signing up for only the second day, a 60-km. (37.5-mile) ride. A $25 fee for two-day cyclists covers transportation from the MCC office to the ride's beginning and end, lodging, meals, mechanical and sag support, first aid and a final barbeque. For one-day cyclists, the $15 fee covers refreshments and the barbeque. One-day riders must provide their own transportation to the park. Participants are asked to raise additional pledges for MCC. For more information, contact Paul Friesen: (204) 261-6381, pmf@mennonitecc.ca.

Buggies, Barns and Bridges, Aug. 5 to 9. Cycle the scenic rolling hills of Lancaster and Lebanon counties in south central Pennsylvania. This 424 km.(265-mile) ride begins at the new MCC Welcoming Place in Akron, Pa. Bikers will average 50 to 60 miles a day with stops at an Amish farm and the Ephrata Cloister, a historic Protestant commune. Cost is $350 for accommodations, food, T-shirt, first aid, sag and mechanical support and transportation of overnight gear. Participants are encouraged to raise additional pledges. Money raised will go for tree planting in Laos and Cambodia. For more information, contact Marilyn Langeman: (717) 859-3889, eastcoast@mccus.org.

, Aug. 24 to 26. Based at Rocky Mountain Mennonite Camp near Divide, Colo., this mountain bike ride will feature a different off-road route every day, including one on the Monarch Crest Trail (40 km./25 miles to 56 km./35 miles) and two rides in forests surrounding the camp (19.2 km./12 miles to 24 km./15 miles). Cost of $190 includes two nights' lodging at the camp, meals and transportation to the trail head. For more information, contact Linford Beachy: (303) 777-1142, linford.beachy@uchsc.edu.

Black Hills Bike Ride, Sept. 6 to 9. Cycle through 320 km. (200 miles) of some of the most beautiful highways in the Black Hills of South Dakota, with visits to Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse Monument, Custer State Park and Wind Cave National Park. The cost of $350 covers four night's lodging, noon meals and snack and liquids en route. For more information, contact Edie Tschetter at the MCC Central States Northern Tier Office: (605) 925-4859, emt@mcc.org.

MCC Bike Ohio, Sept. 14 (optional), 15 to 16. This ride consists of two 80-km. (50-mile) loops, one Saturday and one Sunday, with an optional 24-km. (15-mile) ride Friday evening. Saturday's ride is in the Amish country of Wayne and Holmes counties, with a chicken barbecue for the evening meal. On Sunday, riders will travel to Canal Fulton for a portion of the Ohio-Erie Trail. Cost is $100 per adult, $50 for the first child up to age 16 and $25 for each additional child. Cost includes maps, road markings, lodging at Camp Luz, sag service and a T-shirt. A Friday evening snack, two breakfasts and two lunches are also provided. For more information, contact Daryl Arner: (330) 684-1408, dsarner@raex.com.

Bike Shenandoah, Sept. 29. Based in Harrisonburg, Va., this one-day family event has rides for all skill levels followed by an evening meal and program. Bikers on the longer rides will see the beautiful hill country of the Shenandoah Valley. Riders are encouraged to raise at least $1 for every mile they ride. For more information, contact Beth Brunk at (540) 434-9727, or e-mail bikeshen@juno.com. The event Web site is www.bikeshenandoah.org.

Flatlander Bike Ride, dates and details to be announced. Kansas. For more information, contact Sharon Schmidt: SharShmi@aol.com.

For more information, or to contact Mennonite Central Committee, see their website at: www.mcc.org