EATON — The 18th Annual Buckeye Bridge ride is scheduled to take place Saturday, June 25.
Open to all ages, this bicycle ride will start at the Eaton Athletic & Wellness Stadium, 600 Hillcrest Drive in Eaton, and take riders throughout the county visiting up to five of the eight covered bridges.
The 2022 ride offers three different routes to riders: 27-, 41-, or 53-mile ride. These routes feature the scenic countryside and the covered bridges in the Gratis, Lewisburg, and Eaton area. The Buckeye Bridge Ride is a full support and gear (SAG) ride with four stops if a rider is on the 45-mile ride. Riders interested in participating Saturday, June 25, have options to start with the mass start at 7 a.m., or with other pleasure rides and touring groups having staggered starts from 7:15 a.m. to 9 a.m.
The cost of the Buckeye Bridge Ride for an adult rider is $25 and $15 for youth rider aged 9-19 years old. The proceeds from the ride benefit the local 4-H youth.
For those with younger families, a 1 ½ mile family ride is offered. The Preble Trails organization is a co-sponsor of this ride.
This family fun ride will take families through the scenic Fort St. Clair Park. Those families interested in the family ride can register day of event for $10 for the whole family. T-shirts can be purchased day of ride. Riders for the family ride will check-in at 8:30 a.m. at the Eaton Athletic & Wellness Stadium, 600 Hillcrest Drive, Eaton on June 25, for a 9 a.m. send-off to the scenic Fort St. Clair Park.
Proceeds from this portion of the ride will help support the mission of Preble Trails which is a nonprofit committee initiated with the goal of promoting cycling and creating safe access throughout the community for cyclists of all ages. There will be a SAG (rest and refresh) stop for the family ride riders inside the park with bottled water available.
More information about the Buckeye Bridge Ride or the Preble Trails Family Ride can be found at buckeyebridgeride.org or prebletrails.org.
Friends of Preble County 4-H Inc. wishes to thank all sponsors and those who participated in previous Buckeye Bridge Rides.
“This great ride has already provided over $19,000 in 4-H scholarships and support to our youth,” organizers said in a release.
“The ride organizers, Friends of Preble County 4-H, Inc, has made it their goal to make a solid investment in our youth today and to create leaders for tomorrow. The members of the Friends of Preble County 4-H Inc. are committed to the preservation of agricultural education in our Preble County and Ohio. As such, the Friends of Preble County 4-H Inc. is a nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring the necessary funding for the operation of Agriculture/4-H portion of the Preble County Extension Office as well as other 4-H opportunities as deemed feasible and necessary.”
