By Kelly Burgess,
Bruce Peninsula Press
With 2020 being the year of continuous Covid cancellations it is wonderful to see such fantastic events like the Bruce Peninsula Lighthouse Gravel Gran Fondo return on Sunday, October 3 at 9:30 a.m. Due to the generosity of the landowners, this lighthouse-to-lighthouse ride will take riders through the beauty of the Bruce Peninsula.
A Gran Fondo is a type of long-distance road cycling ride originating in Italy in 1970, roughly translating into English as “Big Ride”. This incredibly fun event brought to you by Bruce Peninsula Eco Adventures and generously supported by many local sponsors was created to raise money for the Bruce Peninsula Biosphere Association (BPBA). The BPBA is a charitable non-profit organization that undertakes a variety of environmental projects on the Bruce.
Mike Campbell, a BPBA member and avid long-distance cyclist, started the event in 2019 as a fun ride for people to explore and enjoy the beauty of the Bruce while raising money for an important cause. Unlike other Gran Fondos, this gravel journey is not a race but a chance for people to have an outdoor adventure.
This year riders have a choice of a 115 km, 80 km, 56 km and 30 km ride that follow back roads and trails along the beautiful Georgian Bay Shoreline.
The previous ride in 2019 offered only three ride options and was capped at 250 participants even though there was an overwhelming interest. This year the sold-out event which has expanded will host 400 participants. Each participant will be fortunate enough to experience feed stations along the route serving home baked goods and a complimentary lunch until 5pm. All riders also get a complimentary artistic T-shirt and of course a breathtaking ride on some of the most scenic roads of the Bruce Peninsula.
“Big Ride” Gets Big Help From Volunteers
Such a “Big Ride” requires a great deal of preparation and people to make it a success. The volunteers and staff with the BPBA are already working on preparing “Goody Bags” for the 400 riders. It takes over 80 volunteers to run this big event including partnering with the Lions Club to provide lunch for all the riders and volunteers. Some of the volunteer roles include registration, set-up, food stations, clean-up, medical, course support and more.
For more information on the Bruce Peninsula Lighthouse Gravel Gran Fondo go to https://www.brucegravelfondo.com. To learn more about Bruce Peninsula Biosphere Association fundraising initiatives visit their website at www.bpba.ca
