Cyclists to benefit reading program

The Harvest Ride for Literacy on Sat., Oct. 7 will include distances of 30 miles, 55 miles, 100 miles and a 12-mile Family Ride.

Start times are between 7 and 10 a.m. All rides will start and finish at the Ventura Unified School District Education Service Center, 255 W. Stanley Ave., Ventura.

Ride participants can enjoy ocean views and comfortable fall temperatures as they cycle the Ventura and Santa Barbara County coastline, and perhaps even spot dolphins and seals playing near the beaches.

The 30-mile ride follows the coast to the first rest stop. Riders of the 55-mile route continue up the coast through Carpinteria and the nurseries of Summerland to Montecito.

The 100-mile ride continues through the mountains overlooking Santa Barbara, returning along the bluffs above the coastline and along the beaches.

The Family Ride follows the Ojai bicycle path to Foster Park.

Proceeds from the event will benefit both the Ventura County Library Reading Program for Adults, which provides free oneto-one tutoring for Englishspeaking adults who struggle with reading and writing tasks, and Rotary Club of Ventura, a service organization that supports adult literacy, programs for atrisk youth, child immunization projects and violence prevention programs.

For more information or to sign up, call (805) 642-7089 or e-mail harvestride@quixnet.net or visit www.HarvestRideForLiteracy.org.

Donations may be mailed to Harvest Ride For Literacy, P.O. Box 7386, Ventura, CA 93006.