The 14th annual Bike For Your Life is in the books, and increased participation in the two longest routes has pumped the tires of the many volunteers behind the popular event which started and finished at the Parksville Community Centre last Sunday.
Billed as the ‘fun for all ages ride’, money raised goes to the Oceanside Stroke Recovery Association and the Tour de Rock riders.
As always this year’s BFYL offered something for everyone, starting with a 15km route and increasing to 35, 50, 75 and the super-scenic 100 km course, known as the Jim Ryan Memorial Route.
“It was really good, we had 326 riders out there,” event chair and driving force Bruce Perry of Island Cycle said, adding the biggest age group was the over 45’s, “with the largest participant increase in the 70 and the 100 km routes which was great to see.”
Part of a B.C. initiative to encourage people to ride local routes, first held in Parksville in 1999, the event takes a lot of volunteers — 70 in all — to pull together.
The routes were all well-marked with refreshment stations and course marshals riding the route for assistance. Every participant took home a keepsake medallion.
