Edgewood 80 Bike Tour slated for April 21

The fourth annual Edgewood 80 Backroads Bike Tour is scheduled for April 21 and hundreds of cycling enthusiasts are expected to be in this historic East Texas town for a day of bicycle tours traversing the rolling terrain of four counties.

Sponsored by ProTrak Trailers and Brookshires, this year's event offers five tours ranging from 15- to 100-mile treks through scenic backwoods and villages beginning and ending at Edgewood Heritage Park. Cost of the tours are $30 the day of the event. Proceeds benefit Edgewood Lions Club and Edgewood Heritage Park Museum.

Bicyclists will ride through delightful scenery with light motor traffic and no freeway service roads. The longer tours contain several moderate rolling hills. The 30-mile route and the easier 15-mile "family fun country road ride" is mostly moderate terrain. Children 10 to 13 years old must be accompanied by an adult. The rides are not recommended for children under 10 years old.

Registration is from 7 to 9 a.m. in downtown Edgewood at Heritage Park. Tours begin at 9 a.m. and start and finish at the park. Rest stops and refreshments are located every 10 miles and lunch is provided at the finish line.

Proceeds from the tour benefit the Edgewood Lions Club and Edgewood Heritage Park Museum.

Edgewood is a small rural community located 50 miles east of Dallas on historic Highway 80, the beginning of the "East Texas timberline." Bike tours track the rolling hardwood and pine forests of Van Zandt, Rains, Wood and Smith Counties and the charming, historic villages of the area. The center of all Edgewood 80 activities is the Heritage Park Museum in downtown Edgewood, an outdoor architectural showcase that represents rural Van Zandt County in the early 1900s.

Tour information and registration is available by calling 903-896-4267 or 903-896-1480 and by e-mail at info@edgewood80.com. Visit the Edgewood 80 website at www.edgewood80.com.

Co-sponsors of the event include Sam's Club, City of Edgewood, Bruce Miller Nursery, Wilco Equipment Co., Citizens Lumber, J's Grocery, David's Supermarket, Goggans Tire Service, Van Zandt County Insurance, First National Bank of Edgewood, Hiett's LyBrand Funeral Home, Tops & Tubs, Hawkins Tree Farm & Nursery, R-Tex Manufacturing, Easy Pickens Bail Bond, Cozby-Germany Hospital, Risinger/Farmer's Ins., R&R Millwork, MVP Pizza, Trinity Mother Frances Health System, Henderson Striping, J&L Utility, D&D Maintenance, Edgewood Drug, David Musslewhite, Wallace & Murray Insurance, Blue Rooster, Erwin's Concrete, Hunter Realty, Enlaces, Dr. Michael Hackney, Lee Thornton, Gilliam Iron & Welding, Murrey Motors, Van Zandt Veterinary Service, Lone Star Grill, Paul Michaels Company, Edgewood Hardware, Edgewood Dairy Queen, Griffin Industries, BC Tax Service, Vivian Harvey Law Office, Pine Street Bakery, Baylor Health Care Center, Best Western Inn Canton, Richardson Bike Mart, and Coca-Cola Bottling Company.