Highway 71 Classic bike rides set for Sunday, March 13

The 11th annual Highway 71 Classic is scheduled for Sunday, March 13.

The annual fundraising and membership drive is hosted by Bike Fayetteville, a community initiative of the Bicycle Coalition of the Ozarks.

The event includes two fully-supported road routes which each head south from Fayetteville along scenic Highway 71.

The shorter ride is a 32-mile route that traverses mostly flat terrain, with a turnaround at Brentwood Park on the White River. The longer 71-mile ride offers hundreds of feet of elevation change and several major climbs on the way to Mountainburg and back. Both routes feature refreshments and sag wagon support.

Registration begins at 8 a.m. at Walker Park, near the corner of South Block Avenue and West 13th Street in south Fayetteville. Riders will depart from the park at 9 a.m.

Cost to participate is $30 for individuals ($15 for students) or $60 per family. The fee also serves as a year’s worth of membership dues for the Bicycle Coalition of the Ozarks.

For more information about the event or to register, visit bikefayetteville.org/events.