The Orange County Register

It was cold Sunday morning, Dec. 30, but that didn't stop more than 200 mountain bike riders. They all showed up at Cook's Corner in Trabuco Canyon to take part in a 50-mile ride on local mountain trails to raise money for Project Rwanda.

It was cold Sunday morning, Dec. 30, but that didn't stop more than 200 mountain bike riders. They all showed up at Cook's Corner in Trabuco Canyon to take part in a 50-mile ride on local mountain trails to raise money for Project Rwanda.

Event co-founder Doug Grant, of Dove Canyon, organized the event with his friend Andy Brazelton, of Rancho Santa Margarita. The event was originally planned as a 50-mile ride in honor of Grant's 50th birthday.

Grant wanted it to be something more.

"I felt like I needed to seek something more out. Our original goal was to get 50 riders and raise $7,500 for Project Rwanda," he said.

Grant contacted Tom Ritchey, founder of Project Rwanda, and said when he heard about it got really excited about it.

They also had help from several mountain biking groups including SHARE, a local mountain biking club, and the Warriors Society, a national organization.

"The 50-mile part of it was a challenge," said Grant.

The temperature was 37 degrees at the 7 a.m. start time, but sunny skies warmed things up as the riders departed on the ride.

"Mountain bikers really are communal and love doing things together," said Brazelton.

The route took place in two 25-mile stages, one through Modjeska Canyon and Main Divide and the other through O'Neill Park to Tijeras Creek and back.

The ride raised more than $29,000 from individuals and sponsors.

"It was fun to challenge ourselves to say how we could do this and blow our goal out of the water," Brazelton said.

Grant said he plans to make it an annual event.

"Project Rwanda wants to use it as a model for rides across the country," said Grant.

MORE ABOUT PROJECT RWANDA

Project Rwanda hopes to ship more than 1,000 specially designed bicycles made overseas to coffee farmers in Rwanda with the goal of raising their earning potential another 30 to 40 percent.

The bicycles are being designed to meet the specific needs of the farmers there and distributed through organizations all ready based in that country.

The bikes will enable coffee farmers to haul their crop to a washing station collection point more quickly, which increases the price they receive for the crop.

The country has been economically depressed for some time, due to the devastating civil war which took place in the 1990s, and has a poor transportation infrastructure.

Project Rwanda was started by Tom Ritchey after he visited the country in 2005. Ritchey is a mountain bike enthusiast and is also trying to promote mountain bike touring in the country as a way to help it develop its economy.

For more information about Project Rwanda visit its website at: www.projectrwanda.org.