SOUTHWEST HARBOR — Competitive bicyclists can speed through a 30-mile course on the western side of Mount Desert Island on Sunday, May 29, for the annual Westside Ride event, sponsored by the Harbor House Community Service Center.

The Westside Ride is among Maine’s oldest bike races, with an origin in 1981.

“We’ve been doing it 30 years. It’s something we enjoy doing,” said Scott Phelps of Harbor House. “We usually get 60 to 75 riders to participate in the 30 mile pro-ride and 100 or so in total including the people participating in the Lighthouse Ride.”

The 30-mile race, or pro-ride, is held in conjunction with the 15-mile Lighthouse Ride which is geared more towards families.

The 30-mile competitive race will begin with a rolling start on Main Street toward Manset. The finish line will be on Main Street in front of Harbor House and an awards presentation will follow the finish at Harbor House. Registration is from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. with a start time of 1 p.m. The cost for adult riders (19 years old and older) is $30; kids can ride for $20. The minimum age to qualify for the race is 12.

The Lighthouse Ride route will start on Main Street and proceed to the Bass Harbor Lighthouse. The finish line is set for Main Street in front of Harbor House. Registration begins at 12:30 p.m. and ends at 1 p.m. The race’s start time is 1:30 p.m. The cost is $30 per family or $10 for individuals.

Volunteers are needed for the event, according to Mr. Phelps. Volunteers typically help direct traffic and different corners. And volunteers who stay the whole day will get a little something special, like a T-shirt or other Westside Ride merchandise.

For more information, call 244-3713.

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