Cyclists hit area streets, help United Way

 Brighton's Rob Taylor was among the 320-plus participants in the Tour de Livingston bike ride Saturday. Riders had the chance to tour four 25-mile routes starting and ending at Mt. Brighton Ski Area west of downtown Brighton in a fundraiser for the Livingston County United Way. (Photo by GILLIS BENEDICT/DAILY PRESS & ARGUS)

Unusually warm weather and scenic fall colors created the perfect setting Saturday for more than 320 cyclists who participated in the first-ever Tour de Livingston bicycle tour.

Put on by the Howell Rotary Club, the tour will benefit the Livingston County United Way. While the final amount designated to the organization will not be determined until later this week, the event brought in an estimated $11,725 in registration fees.

"We had an amazing turnout," said Kim Dane, Rotary president. "We had 231 preregistered bikers for this event. It's unbelievable to us that we had 91 more people register the day of" the event.

The cyclists were able to ride along four 25-mile routes in the county that looped back to Mt. Brighton Ski Area west of downtown Brighton, the tour's starting point, said Rotarian Peter Bowen.

The four loops toured Kensington Metropark and Island Lake Recreation Area; the Hamburg Township area; downtown Howell; and the General Motors Proving Ground in that stretches between Brighton and Milford townships.

"It's been a beautiful day at Mt. Brighton," Dane said.

"Most of the riders have said it's a beautiful countryside. There is color, and it's really pretty," she added.

Brighton-based D&D Bicycle and Fitness was on hand during the event, offering bike repairs and massages to sore riders. Riders were treated to T-shirts, breakfast and dinner.

Visit www.tourdelivingston.org for more information.

Contact Daily Press & Argus reporter Alison Bergsieker at (517) 552-2857 or at abergsieker@gannett.com.

View article at the Press & Argus Online here.