Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
GO RIDE R Range Ride participants head down Aurora Street in Ironwood Sunday afternoon at the start of the 10th annual community ride.
By RICHARD JENKINS
Ironwood - The weather was pretty perfect for riders participating in the 10th annual Go Ride R Range Ride from Ironwood to Bessemer Sunday afternoon.
"I'm really pleased," said Jim Mildren, one of the organizers of the ride. "The biking community came together."
Starting in Ironwood's Depot Park, the community ride looped through downtown Ironwood before getting back on the Iron Belle Trail and riding to Bessemer and back.
Along with the 15-mile GRRRR to Bessemer and back, Mildren said this year's event also featured a 25-mile ride continuing through south Bessemer for those who wanted to ride farther.
Mildren said the ride probably raised around $800 this year; which will be donated to the Iron Belle Trail and its duet-bike program, which trains drivers to use a tandem bike built especially for people with significant disabilities so they can enjoy the trail.
He estimated the annual rides have probably raised $8,000 total over its 10 years for local causes.
Along with raising money, Mildren said the GRRRR is a way for the community's road-biking enthusiasts to get together and enjoy their hobby.
"Our community has the Snowmobile Olympus, our community has the Sisu, our community has a mountain bike (race), our community has a lot of runs," he said. "This is our community's bike ride."
The event started prior to construction of the Iron Belle Trail, but holding it on the trail makes for a safer event.
"We can have children ride, we have from 8 years old to 84 years old," Mildren said.
In addition to providing a safer route for bikers, he said the Iron Belle is a critical connector between the communities on the Gogebic Range.
"Ironwood is connected to Bessemer with this beautiful part that's 7 miles long. Now it's going to be connected to Ramsay in the near future, then it's going to go all the way to Wakefield," Mildren said. "Then we're community. One (trail) connecting us all."
