RUMFORD – The Family Fun Festival held at Black Mountain on Oct. 6 sponsored a Black Mountain of Maine Bike Tour, a recreational supported bicycle ride.

Sixteen cyclists left the Black Mountain parking lot early Saturday morning to bike along the rivers and through the mountains of the River Valley.

The routes took riders through eight of the 10 towns in the River Valley. Included were Rumford, Roxbury, Andover, Hanover, Bethel, Peru, Canton, Dixfield and Mexico. Each town offered hospitality, providing water, fruit, sandwiches, restroom facilities and phones if needed.

Eleven of the riders elected to do the 100-mile loop that passed through all the towns, one did the 50-mile loop entering five towns and the four 25-mile riders were routed through three towns.

Two of the younger 5km trail race runners mounted their bikes after completing the run and pedaled around the 25-mile route.

The first bike tour was successful with the help of volunteers. The organizers plan to do the tour again next year.