Bike & Build rolls through the county

PRINCETON — The sprawling backroads of Bureau County played host to a group of bicyclists Thursday, as 32 members of Bike & Build rolled through the area.

Bike & Build is an organization that raises money and awareness for affordable housing as they travel through the country on bicycles. Each bicyclist pays $4,000 to participate in the trip, which in this case began in Providence, R.I., on June 14 and ends in Seattle, Wash., on Aug. 17. When the trip is completed, the bicyclists will have ridden 3,866 miles.

Along the way, the riders not only accept donations for the cause, they also make stops at scheduled build sites, like Habitat for Humanity, and participate in those efforts, making monetary donations as well.

On Thursday, the BCR spoke with four riders who were bringing up the rear of the 32 participants, who had started their day in Peru and were on West Backbone Road about 10:30 a.m. They planned to end their day in Clinton, Iowa, after pedaling 89.2 miles.

With music blaring, the four bicyclists were full of energy and appeared eager to tell of their mission. They encourage everyone to check out their Web site and blogs at bikeandbuild.org, where you can track their route, make a donation, read daily blogs and see photos of their trip.

According to information from the Bike & Build organization: "Through fundraising cycling trips, Bike & Build raises money for and awareness of affordable housing efforts. (Their) events act as a catalyst to build homes, foster the spirit of service and empower young adults ... mile by mile, house by house."

As of Thursday, Bike & Build had raised $148,518.

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