The Partners Challenge Mountain Bike Ride, a fundraiser for one-to-one mentorship programs for children in Delta, Montrose, Ouray and San Miguel counties, is scheduled this year for Sept. 16, starting at 7 a.m. at Cerro Summit.

Cyclists in this recreational activity for bikers of all levels will head first to Ridgway City Park (for snacks), and then proceed to Owl Creek Pass for lunch, from Silver Jack's. It then heads to Ouray for a dip in the Ouray Hot Springs before dinner.

Day two kicks off with a hearty breakfast in Ouray, after which riders follow backroads to Montrose's Baldridge Park, where a barbecue lunch will be served. Cyclists will receive full support and gear assistance, and rest stops with refreshments every 15 miles or so.

Alan Ardizone of Cascade Bicycles accompanies the ride as bike mechanic.

The Partners Challenge has been helping kids ages 6-17 in the area since 1987. Participating children are matched with volunteer adults, and the pair makes a commitment to spend three hours a week together for one year. Partners staff supports this relationship with weekly contact, monthly recreational activities and educational workshops.

The $300 minimum registration/entry fee includes a T-shirt, meals and lodging (entries received after August 11, will cost $400). This is Partners most important fund-raising event; it brings in nearly $30,000 annually.

The ride is limited to 100 participants, so register early.

Visit the Partners website at www.partners-west.org to download a registration form and become a rider for Partners. For more information, call 970/249-1116. Come out for a fun weekend to eat, swim and pedal in support of a worthy cause.