It’s time to get those dusty bikes out of the garage and pump your pedals please for the 13 annual Mountain Charlie Challenge, slated to take place next Saturday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Just think of riding through the green Santa Cruz Mountains with visions of Clif Bars at rest stops and free tacos at the finish line, along with ice cream, cookies, beer, and other goodies. The Side Salad Ensemble from Scotts Valley High School will start playing at 12:30 p.m.
Perhaps you’ll win the raffle grand prize, a 2016 Fox Mountain Bike Suspension Fork, which retails for $1,000, or other prizes for the cyclist enthusiast, like a new cruiser from Scotts Valley Cycle Sport.
With the sale of raffle tickets, donations, and registrations, the Mountain Charlie Challenge helps fund the Scotts Valley Educational Foundation, a non-profit, all-volunteer 501(c)(3) organization, whose mission is to raise funds to support the educational needs of all students in the Scotts Valley Unified School District.
In the past two years, the Scotts Valley Educational Foundation contributed over $300,000 to Scotts Valley public schools, providing counseling services, technology, and enrichment programs and 100% funding of the libraries.
This year the Challenge added a family friendly 5K walk/run to its lineup of bike rides, which tops out at the 100-mile endurance-breaker.
Last year an estimated 225 riders joined the Mountain Charlie Challenge, up almost 50 percent from the previous year. Approximately 40 cyclists tackled the 100-mile ride, which led them up Mountain Charlie Road and south to the Elkhorn Slough area and back, and 100 riders registered for the 100k ride.
Alicia Burt, Mountain Charlie Events Chair and parent of two children in Scotts Valley schools, is an avid cyclist.
“I wanted to do my volunteer work for something I know and love, our goal is to raise over $20,000 this year,” Burt explained. “We’ve also added shorter distances like the 10k ride, so more families can ride together. Everybody on the planning committee is involved in our schools so it’s a family affair. 130 riders have signed up all ready.”
One Scotts Valley family has decided to celebrate their son’s birthday by volunteering at one of the rest stops together. Check them out; maybe they’ll have cake.
You can register the morning of the race, Saturday, May 9, at Skypark or at anytime by visiting www.mountaincharliechallenge.com/
“If you have a kid in Scotts Valley schools we’d like for you to sign up for one of the events or if you’re busy with something else, you can come down and have a taco and beer and buy a raffle ticket to get a great prize,” Burt said.
Get your body in shape for the summer, have fun in the sun at Skypark, and, most importantly, make an investment in children’s education.
