Ever wanted to take a tour of all northern Oakland County’s trails? Well, now you can.
The 10th Annual Rural Pearl scenic bike tour will take place on Saturday, July 26, and is a one-day rail-trail and back roads bike tour beginning on the Polly Ann Trail in Oxford.
Sponsored by the Oxford Downtown Development Authority, Oxford Township Parks and Recreation and the Oxford-Addison Youth Assistance (OAYA), riders on the tour can choose to do either 15, 30 or 48 miles through the rural countryside, which includes the Polly Ann Trail, the Macomb Orchard Trail, the Clinton River Trail and the Paint Creek Trail.
Throughout your trail ride, you can enjoy rest stops stocked with local specialties.
‘Jet’s Pizza and Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches will be providing some items, as well as peanut butter and jelly sandwiches from the Pee Wee Patch in Orion,? said Troy Farwell, manager of the Polly Ann Trail.
Proceeds from the event will support a variety of OAYA programs for our local children and teens.
For example, last year’s Rural Pearl proceeds were used to hold a five-week long teen/family substance abuse education program, along with two, five-week long parent education programs with ongoing monthly support groups for parents.
According to Farwell, this year’s ride has been endorsed by the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness, Health and Sports.
Pre-registration costs before July 19 are $15 for single riders and $35 for families. On-site registration at the village offices from 7 a.m.-Noon for a cost of $22 for single riders and $45 for families.
OAYA is hoping to reach their goal of 300 riders this year. Volunteers are also needed for trail marking, working rest stops and for clean up.
To volunteer, please call (248) 969-5177. For more information on the ride, visit www.oxfordride.com.
If you’d like to make a tax deductable donation, please mail it to OAYA, P.O. Box 372, Oxford, MI 48371.