Buzzards Bay Watershed Ride rolls back around

The Buzzards Bay Coalition’s 12th annual Buzzards Bay Watershed Ride is less than a month away, and cyclists who want to take action for clean water by biking 35, 75 or 100 miles through some of southeastern New England’s most beautiful coastal scenery on Sunday, Sept. 30 can register now by visiting www.savebuzzardsbay.org/ride.

Hundreds of riders of all ages and abilities participate in the Watershed Ride each year, pedaling around the bay to raise funds for the coalition’s work to protect clean water in communities from Little Compton to Woods Hole.

Each rider raises a minimum of $300, but many participants and teams set more ambitious fundraising goals. Last year, cyclists and their supporters raised more than $158,000 to support the coalition’s work on education, advocacy, research, and conservation in our local communities, a press release from the Buzzards Bay Coalition stated.

Leslie Knowles of South Dartmouth has supported the event every year since its inception.

"I've come back to the Watershed Ride every year because I love to bike and I love Buzzards Bay,” she said in the release. “Everything about the ride is nicely organized and the party overlooking the water at the end is great.”

The 100-mile course starts in Little Compton, Rhode Island at 8 a.m., followed by the 75-mile course from Horseneck Beach, Westport at 9 a.m., and finally, the 35-mile course from East Over Farm in Rochester at noon.

All three routes meet up for lunch in Rochester and again in Woods Hole for a spirited after-party with beer, wine, al fresco dinner, and live music and awards. With a lunch stop, water and snack stations, and on-the-road repair technicians and transport – all riders are fully supported during the event.

To learn more or sign up, visit www.savebuzzardsbay.org/ride.

Registered and prospective riders are invited to join two free upcoming training rides. On Sunday, Sept 9 at 9 a.m., Fairhaven Bikeways Committee member Geoff Smith leads a 30-mile loop from Fort Phoenix beach in Fairhaven to East Over farm in Rochester and back.

Then on Saturday, Sept. 15 at 9am, coalition staff member Maureen Thomas leads a 27-mile looping tour of Falmouth that starts and ends in Woods Hole to help celebrate “The Sea Around Us” weekend festival in honor of Rachel Carson.

To sign up for a training ride preview of the Buzzards Bay Watershed Ride, visitwww.savebuzzardsbay.org/events.