Ready to Ride the Rocks
LUCERNE VALLEY — Preparations are well under way for this year’s Ride in the Rocks mountain biking competition, an event that organizers hope will bring riders from all over the West Coast.
The two-day extravaganza is being organized by Millie Rader, a municipal advisory council member and the spokeswoman for Mitsubishi Cement. She’s overseeing it as part of her work for the Mitsubishi Educational Foundation, a fund set up by the company for use by the local schools.
“There are a lot of road races, but I wanted to do something geared towards mountain bikers,” Rader said.
The race itself will be held Oct. 18, with festivities beginning the night before.
A performance by an Eagles tribute band is to be held at Lucerne Valley Junior/Senior High School at 33233 Rabbit Springs Road on Oct. 17.
Rader says the hope is to avoid an early morning registration rush by letting out-of-town visitors camp or park an RV for free at the high school that night.
The following day, the Lions Club will hold its chili cook-off at the location, Rader said.
With the help of local biker Victoria Perry, who is a sponsored rider, organizers are hoping to have a large expo at the location where big-name stores and retailers can sell their mountain biking gear.
“We’re starting to get a lot of vendors and sponsors,” Rader said, adding that there is always room for more.
Event organizers are also looking for volunteers to help man the actual races, which will have levels of varying difficulty.
While there will be an intense, long ride for enthusiasts, there also will be a shorter 5-mile ride with wide lanes for families that want to participate and ride together for fun and exercise.
“There will be something for everyone, including spectators. This is not just for extreme riders,” Rader said.
Source: vvdailypress.com/news/lucerne-8578-ready-ride.html