Riders to raise funds to fight cancer

A good, long bicycle ride does the body good, obviously. It can also do wonders for the soul.

On June 2, there will be a lot of souls fed while legs do the work as several hundred women hop aboard their bikes and pedal around Cache Valley.

The Little Red Riding Hood event is one of the signature events for the Bonneville Bicycle Touring Club but comes with one condition — men are not allowed.

The tour, which begins in Wellsville and has rides of varying lengths — including a short 38-mile ride, a 68-mile option or the full 100-mile century — is much more than just a bike ride, though.

Thanks to the generous support of sponsors and volunteers, thousands of dollars will be raised to fight cancer through a donation to the Huntsman Cancer Institute.

This, as well as having a day on the roads with other women, is what brings many cyclists to Little Red Riding Hood each year.

Marcia Moon, a Salt Lake City resident who says she has a family history of breast cancer, is just one cyclist who will be in Cache Valley on her bike.

"I am proud and happy to ride for the Little Red Riding Hood bike ride supporting the fight against breast cancer," Moon said in an e-mail to ride organizers. "We are a group of ladies, mostly over 50 years old, and we call ourselves the Hot Buff Women, and we love to do active things together to prove that we can still do it. We have some younger gals joining us who have heard about the ride and expressed interest. We also love it when some of our daughters join us. We had two daughters last year and may have several more daughters join us again this year."

The weekend's events are not limited to Saturday's bike ride, naturally.

There will be a party Friday night at the Wellsville Bowery Park with dinner, live music and — for the hearty — an optional preride bike ride to get the legs warmed up.

Sponsors such as Bingham Cyclery, Contendor Bicycles, Liberty Heights Fresh and others have donated services to make the weekend a success.

The tour comes with full support along the road — this is about the only place you'll see men — with bike repairs, frequent rest areas with food and drink and a post-ride lunch.

It's not too late to get involved as either a rider or a volunteer. Contact Lynda Forbush at 467-5594 for more information.

Bicycles will roll out of Bowery Park at 8 a.m. on June 2.

LRRH NOT THE ONLY TOUR: If you're unable to ride with Little Red Riding Hood, there are certainly other options to bike on your bike for a good cause.

The American Diabetes Association is sponsoring its annual Tour de Cure on June 9. The two-day tour will again have former Tour de France champion Greg LeMond along for the ride.