By Benji Bergstrand
Accompanied by a cacophony of cow bells and cheering volunteers, dozens of bicycle riders took to the streets of Bluffton on July 13 as they kicked off the 10th annual Ride to Remember, a program of the Bluffton Lions Club.
Some of those riders were on their way to the Fun Loop, an 11-mile family friendly route complete with 10 jokes and riddles on signs placed strategically along the way. Other riders chose a longer adventure of 24, 63 or even more than 100 miles.
Joy Stemen chose the 24-mile route, “It seemed like the perfect length for a satisfying ride,” Stemen said. “The occasional hills made it fun, and I appreciated the peaceful views along the way. It was a great way to experience the beauty of our area while getting a good workout.”
No matter which route they rode, all of the more than 200 registered cyclists were helping to support the mission of the Ride to Remember to raise funds to build more bike paths around the Bluffton Community. The Ride was started by the Lions Foundation in 2015 as a way to honor Ropp and Mary Emma Triplett who were instrumental in creating Bluffton’s first bicycle path. Four miles of pathway have been completed and an additional six miles are in the master plan.
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