CHAFE 150 Gran Fondo expands

Reader Staff

It’s going to be a good year for cycling.

The CHAFE 150 Gran Fondo, recently touted as one of the nation’s top charity bike rides by Bicycling Magazine, is expanding.

Two riders on a previous CHAFE 150 ride over the Hope Bridge. Courtesy photo.

Taking place June 15, the 12th annual fundraising event will feature new ride length options so that riders will be able to choose the right fit.

If you’re looking for the ultimate challenge, the signature 150-mile ride remains unchanged and in a class of its own, circumnavigating an entire mountain range, winding through the forests  of North Idaho and western Montana while gaining a total elevation of 6,600 feet.

Here’s a look at all the routes for the 2019 event:

• CHAFE 150: this is unchanged, starting and finishing at City Beach in Sandpoint.

• CHAFE 100: a new class. Riders eat breakfast in Sandpoint and are bused to Troy, Mont. with their bikes. The CHAFE 100 is a combination of a portion of the CHAFE 150 and CHAFE 40 mile routes.

• CHAFE 80: riders eat breakfast in Sandpoint and are bused to Troy, Mont. The CHAFE 80 is the second half of the CHAFE 150 route.

• CHAFE 40: a new class. This route starts and finishes at City Beach and is an extension of the CHAFE 30 route.

• CHAFE 30: starts and finishes at the Sandpoint City Beach.

• Family Fun Ride:a new class. This ride starts at City Beach and goes to Dover Bay via the Sandpoint Dover Community bike path. Family activities and games will be offered at the park near Dover Bay City Hall. The ride returns to City Beach via the bike path.

The CHAFE 150 ride continues its legacy of support for education in the greater Sandpoint community, contributing more than $260,000 in the past six years. Previously, funding has helped with autism programs and early childhood readiness. New this year, CHAFE proceeds will benefit the Lake Pend Oreille School District’s Literacy Initiative and after-school reading programs. Funds will support this initiative by helping fund a literacy curriculum, staff development, and expand after-school programs. This promotes the LPOSD vision of providing high quality instruction and high levels of learning for every child, every day, in every classroom and environment.

In the spring of 2018 and consistent with the national reading proficiency results, just half of LPOSD third-graders were proficient readers (as measured by the state ISAT assessment); and last fall, 46 percent of LPOSD kindergartners started school with the literacy skills they need to be successful students (as measured by our state IRI assessment).

CHAFE’s support will assist the community by helping to increase student achievement in literacy; foster students’ love of reading; increase staff training in teaching literacy; provide safe, supportive after-school programs for students; and increase community outreach/targeted literacy events. A portion of CHAFE proceeds also support Rotary community programs.

Riders are encouraged to raise funds for the cause through pledge donations; find more information at CHAFE150.org or through registration materials. The CHAFE 150 Ride Committee is putting together a fantastic assortment of prizes for riders who raise the most funds; stay updated at CHAFE150.org for more details or follow CHAFE 150 on Facebook.

The 2019 CHAFE 150 is presented by Sandpoint Rotary and Timberline Helicopters and is supported by over 80 local businesses and other organizations.