5-year-old Naples girl rides 60K

With a little help from mom, 5-year-old Elisa Balcaen rode the 60K — 37.2 miles — in Saturday’s Kootenai River Ride.

Elisa was riding a third-wheel, which was attached to her mother, Catherine Delsalle’s mountain bike. Elisa peddled the third-wheel bike for 80 to 85 percent of the ride sponsored by Bonners Ferry Rotary Club.

It took the pair, along with Elisa’s brother Louis, who will turn 11 on Tuesday, 3 hours to complete the ride.

Over the summer, Elisa rode the third-wheel on a few 15-mile rides.

While Elisa was the youngest rider, Don Budgett of Coeur d’Alene, at age 78, was the oldest. Budgett’s 74-year-old wife also rode.

The event included 164 riders, an increase of 151 from last year let fewer than the 214 in 2007.

Of riders, 39 participated in the 100K, 53 in the 60K and 59 in the 16K. Riders came from as far as Seattle, Medical Lake and Spokane, Wash.

“We had so many out-of-town riders who said ‘how nice everybody in town was’ and they weren’t just referring to the Rotarians,” said Rotary member Ron Sukenik. “Drivers on the road, people waving and pulling over, and giving them lots of room. I really want to thank the community.”

Christie McKee, who coordinates the 8 Lakes Leg Ache Bike Ride in Spokane, won the raffle for a new mountain bike.