Help Raise Money for Novato Schools at the 2011 Tour of Novato and FunFair

Help raise funds for Novato's schools at the 2011 Tour of Novato, an annual bicycling event organized by School Fuel, the Novato Foundation for Public Education, this Saturday, April 30 from 7 am to 3 pm. You can sponsor an existing rider or sign up to ride yourself—registration is accepted the day of the event starting at 6 am. There are three possible routes to ride, ranging from easy to challenging, and a Cycling for Schools FunFair at San Marin High School starting at 9 am.

The Tour of Novato is School Fuel's biggest fundraiser for the Novato Unified School District, and has raised over $238,000 for Novato schools over the last three years. All money raised goes directly to the schools, with money raised by each rider going directly to the school they represent.

All routes start and finish at San Marin High School, located at San Marin Drive and Novato Boulevard. The easiest route, and the best one for families, is the FunFair route. It's a leisurly 4.2-mile ride out to Stafford Lake and back. The short route goes out to Lincoln Elementary School on Hicks Valley Road (originally planned for the Cheese Factory, but changed due to a conflicting event) and back, a 14.6-mile trip. The long route, for more experienced cyclists, is a 36.5-mile trip out through Point Reyes Station and Olema, and includes the infamous "Suffering for Schools" climb on the way back.

Each rider is asked to raise or contribute at least $100 ($25 for FunFair riders) as a registration fee. Either way, it's a fun and healthy way to raise some much needed money for Novato's public schools. No registration fee is required to attend the FunFair itself, which features games; a geocache treasure hunt; face painting; a bicycle tune-up clinic from Mike's Bikes; food and drink from Peet's, Redwood Bagels, California Grill, and School Fuel; bicycle helmet safety inspection by the Novato Police; and much more. Fees for FunFair activities (usually $2–$5) all go directly to Novato's schools.

For more information,route maps, registration, a schedule of events, and to make online pledges for registered Tour of Novato riders (my husband and second-grade son will ride the FunFair route together), visit www.tourofnovato.org.