Last Saturday, nearly 3,000 riders from 250 communities in 26 states took part in the Eighth Annual Tour de Tonka bike ride.

Bikers traveled distances of 16, 26, 43, 51, 77 and 100 miles through local communities around Lake Minnetonka here in Minnesota. The event promotes and celebrates healthy lifestyles, friendship, teamwork, and recreation through the support of cities, sponsors and local charities. A portion of the proceeds benefits the ICA Food Shelf.

I’m not much of an athlete, but this is a ride – not a race. So, while some members of my family took the 26 mile route (and finished before I did!), my daughter and I enjoyed a nice cruise along the 16 mile route. It was a beautiful morning with lots of sunshine, and nice temps just reaching 70 when we crossed the finish line around 10 am.

It’s an amazing undertaking. At every corner, in addition to very clear course markings, there was a volunteer pointing you in the right direction – and shouting words of encouragement. In addition to course support, more than 400 volunteers managed registration, provided refreshments at the multiple rest stops and took on a multitude of other tasks.

It was a great demonstration of collaboration – one of Clearfield’s core values. I was thrilled to stretch myself just a little out of my comfort zone – and now I have the T-Shirt to prove it!