It's a couple of months later than it used to be, and the money raised will be going to a different cause, but Magnolia's 16th annual Bike the Bluff event is scheduled to take place Saturday, Sept. 8.
The family-oriented bike ride had been a popular fundraiser for the Magnolia Helpline, but the Helpline ceased operations last spring, said Nancy Gilbert, one of the event's organizers this year.
"More than one nonprofit jumped up and asked to take over," she said. But LoriAnn Thomas, a Helpline board member, is also a Catharine Blaine School parent, and that gave the neighborhood school a boost, according to Gilbert.
"The board of the Magnolia Helpline voted to turn it [the ride] over to Catharine Blaine," she said. "It really makes sense because Blaine is such a part of the community."
The Helpline vote took place in June, which didn't give organizers enough notice to stage an event that has traditionally taken place in July, Gilbert explained. "So we decided to make it a back-to-school event."
That makes sense to Gilbert, she said, because a lot of people in Magnolia are on vacation in July. "In early September, 'most everybody is back in town." Plus, the "Pop" Mounger Pool - where Bike the Bluffers can take a free swim after the ride - is still open, Gilbert noted.
The ride starts and ends at the swimming pool, said Nancy's husband, John Gilbert, who predicts a good turnout. "I think a lot of people end up doing the ride because it's a good way to introduce kids to bike riding," he said.
Participants can ride one of two routes: a 4-mile version and a 6.5-mile version, John said.
"It's a distance that sounds maybe daunting to a young child," he conceded. But John insists that even first- and second-graders are capable of making the ride.
The Gilbert's children, 8-year-old Nate and 6-year-old Eleanor, didn't have any problems riding in last year's event, John said.
"We rode the sidewalks all the way. It went a lot quicker than I thought."
Around 150 riders took part in last year's event, which raised approximately $5,000 for the Magnolia Helpline, Nancy said. The Blaine school can use the cash for a planned improvement project, she said. "We've got a whole list of things we plan to do."
Money raised from this year's Bike the Bluff will be dedicated to landscaping and some playground improvements, she said.
"I hope they'll see it's another good cause."
Participants can sign up for the event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the day of the ride, and riders can start any time in that timeframe, Gilbert said. For more information, log on to www.bikethebluff.org.
The event will take place rain or shine, she said, noting that this is, after all, Seattle.
One more thing: all bike riders must wear helmets, Gilbert said.
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