CAMBRIDGE — The Friends of Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge invite women of all ages and ability to join Georgena Terry, along with hundreds of other active women bicyclists, for the Eighth Annual Wild Goose Chase Women’s Bike Tour, on May 14-15, starting and ending at the Cambridge-South Dorchester High School, 2475 Cambridge ByPass (Route 16).

The Wild Goose Chase is a bicycle weekend for women, based in Cambridge on Maryland’s scenic Eastern Shore, taking place in and around the spectacular Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge. Enjoy flat roads, little traffic, and pristine salt-marshes offering protection for migratory waterfowl in the Chesapeake Bay region.

Georgena started the Wild Goose Chase in 2008, as a fundraiser to help protect the Refuge. The Wild Goose Chase has generated more than $150,000 for the Friends of Blackwater. Participation in the 2016 event will provide the Friends of Blackwater the ability to help protect this critical habitat by supporting projects such as habitat restoration, a pollinator garden, improvements to walking and kayak trails, field education for local schoolchildren, eagle and osprey cams, and more.

The main ride on Sunday will have four different options, to accommodate riders at a range of levels: 17, 23, 43, and 63 miles (27, 37, 69, 101 km), with four rest stops for food and portapots, and SAG service on each route. Show and go after check-in at Cambridge-South Dorchester High School. Saturday activities, for bikers and their companions, will include a morning nature bike ride along the Wildlife Drive, an afternoon women’s biking workshop and training ride, and an opportunity to visit the new Harriet Tubman State Park Visitor Center adjacent to the refuge, as well as nearby Underground Railroad historic sites. You and your companions can also enjoy the historic and vibrant town of Cambridge, with excellent restaurants, art galleries, unique shops, historic tours, waterfront walks, and opportunities to birdwatch, hike, and kayak.

COST: $70 until April 15; late and on-site registration $80. Includes lunch on Sunday, T-shirt, socks, many great raffle prizes. Sign up online: bikereg.com/wildgoose.

For more information call 443-523-6292, e-mail mailto:wildgooseride@gmail.com, see the Friends of Blackwater website at www.friendsofblackwater.org/wild-goose-chase.html,

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/TheWildGooseChase

If your organization is interested in sponsoring the ride, either financially or with your products or services, please contact Cathy Beise, wildgooseride@gmail.com, 443-523-6292, and we will include you in our promotional materials.

Mark your calendar and bring your support team in May, for a scenic ride through the marshes and fields. You’ll likely see eagles, ospreys, warblers, and numerous other birds, along with turtles, Delmarva Fox squirrels, and lots of like-minded fellow women bicyclists. Note that the main ride is intended as a women-only experience.