An all-ages mountain bike toonie ride will be held at Little Mountain Park in Salmon Arm on June 18, but with an added twist.
Horses will be involved, as well as tennis players.
Toonie rides are popular mountain bike events. Participants gather to ride selected trails by throwing a toonie into the pot. The toonies provide the funds for prizes, which are usually distributed in a variety of creative community-building ways. The upcoming mountain bike toonie ride in Salmon Arm, however, adds a new dimension, as leaders from the equestrian community join in to provide information on good horse/bicycle trail relationships.
Local equestrian and trails advocate, Mary Howard, has worked with mountain biker, Chad Eliason, to prepare a new pamphlet for the event entitled, “What Every Horse Wants Bikers to Know.” It’s full of tips for folks who ride mountain bikes on local trails.
A horse will join cyclists at the upcoming toonie ride to pass on the information directly from the horse’s mouth.
So where do the tennis players come in? Following the ride, cyclists will meet at the tennis club.
Shuswap Trail Alliance chair, Winston Pain, who also coaches for the Salmon Arm Tennis Club, said he and Eliason were discussing logistics and realized the mountain bikers and tennis club are having an event the same day – so why not share a barbecue.
The event goes 3 to 4:30 p.m., with barbecue and prizes to follow. All ages welcome.
The toonie ride starts at the tennis club next to Little Mountain Park at the top of Okanagan Avenue off 30th Street. Everyone is encouraged to ride to the event, but parking will be available at the Field of Dreams for those coming in from out of town.