Nearly two years ago, the greater Des Moines metro bike trail network was finally connected to the Chichaqua Valley Trail and into Jasper County.
The trail travels from Bondurant through Valeria and north into Baxter and has served cyclists in Jasper County for years.
In order to maintain the trail, each year the non-profit organization, Friend of the Chichaqua Valley Trail, holds its main fundraising event. On Saturday, the 57-mile ride dubbed Pedal the CVT gave riders the chance to stop in towns along the route and support local businesses.
More than 120 Riders registered at 7 a.m. in Bondurant and had a light breakfast with Bloody Mary’s at Founder’s Irish Pub before pushing off toward Jasper County.
Jeff Cook and his wife, Lori, have been volunteering with Friends of CVT for nearly 10 years. They said they’ve enjoyed meeting people while helping improve the quality of the trail.