Riders wait to begin the Hilly Hundred in Brooksville, Fla., on Saturday, December 7, 2024. [Credit: Hanna Maglio] Cyclists from across Florida and some out-of-staters gathered outside Crank Works Bicycles in Brooksville on Saturday to ride in the tenth annual Hilly Hundred. The Hilly Hundred is an event that offers cyclists a challenging 100, 68, or 32-mile ride through the hills of Hernando County and its surrounding areas.
The event began as a bike ride, but as it evolved, Patricia Laird, owner of Crank Works Bicycles, decided to merge the idea of having a bicycle race with an event that benefits charity to create the Hilly Hundred.
The event has no registration fee, but participants are encouraged to bring an unwrapped toy or donate money to a toy drive for Guardian Ad Litem of Hernando County. Crank Works Bicycles uses the funds donated to the toy drive to purchase bicycles from Big Lots or Walmart for children in the program. Laird said they were able to get about 35 bikes last year and were one of the largest contributors to the Guardian Ad Litem toy drive.
“Last year, we actually had so many donations that we gave Guardian everything that they needed, and then we ended up donating a whole bunch of toys and bicycles to Toys for Tots, as well.” Cyclists ride down Mondon Hill Road in Brooksville, Fla., on Saturday, December 7, 2024. [Credit: Hanna Maglio] The race route begins in front of Crank Works Bicycles, and the cyclists […]
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