The rain on Saturday morning slowed the start of the 11th annual Rural Pearl Ride, but didn’t dampen the spirits of 147 cyclists from near and far.
‘It turned out to be a nice ride despite the weather,? said Lori Collier, chair of this year’s ride. She noted they had 100 riders pre-register, the most they have ever had.
While they didn’t have as many cyclists as they had anticipated, they did raise $5,330 for Oxford-Addison Youth Assistance (OAYA), passing what they raised last year. OAYA will share 20% of the proceeds with the Lake Orion and Rochester Youth Assistance programs.
Collier saw a lot of familiar faces and new faces for this year’s ride.
Bicyclists enthusiasts had the choice of riding for 15, 30, or 48 miles in the Rural Pearl Ride, starting and ending at the Village of Oxford offices.
Most bicyclists choice the 48-mile route and traveled down Dequindre Rd., going through Stoney Creek Metro Park and then peddling through downtown Rochester before returning to Oxford.
Collier said families chose the shorter route, taking them to the Village of Leonard and back.
OAYA is a non-profit organization that works with youth, parents, schools, law enforcement agencies, Oakland Probate Court and other community resources. ~WAR