One of the Plant City Family YMCA’s biggest fundraising events is set to come back this weekend with a few changes for 2021.
Dean’s Ride, an annual road cycling event with several routes for bicyclists age 15 and up, will be held this Saturday morning. Riders will cruise through the Plant City countryside north of Interstate 4 to raise money for the Plant City Y and its LiveSTRONG program to help cancer fighters and survivors, as well as their families.
This is the ninth annual event. Though the ride is typically held in March, Dean’s Ride 8 hit a series of obstacles in 2020 with the COVID-19 pandemic and was postponed several times before finally making it work in mid-September.
The ride has typically started at the Trinkle Center at Hillsborough Community College, but this year’s ride will start and finish at Keel Farms, 5202 Thonotosassa Road. Refreshments will be available to riders before they start biking. As usual, Keel Farms will host the post-ride lunch event with music.
Riders have four routes to choose from this year. Those looking for the greatest challenge can take on the 60-mile Metric Century route. There is also a 34-mile Half-Metric Century and a 20-mile Quarter-Metric Century available to pick from. All three aforementioned routes run far enough west to circle Lake Thonotosassa. Families can ride together in the nine-mile Family route. Maps for each route are viewable online at the registration site.
In addition to bringing a helmet, riders should also make sure to bring plenty of water. Saturday is projected to be a scorcher with a high of 91 degrees and only an eight percent chance of rain.
This year’s race will begin at 7:30 a.m. To register online and get more information, visit deansride.raceroster.com. If you plan to sign up online, the cost is $60 for the three longer routes and $25 for the family route. You can also register in person on-site this Saturday before 7:30 a.m., but be advised that the cost for each route increases by $5.