Bicycle rides abound around the holidays

On the first day of Christmas the Natural State gave to us … 12 days of poker rides from the Ozark and Ouachita mountains to the Delta.

The second annual Umpteen Rides bicycling series rolls out Thursday and goes until Jan. 1, giving mountain bikers and road cyclists 37 chances to win prizes. The rider can earn one card from each event (the first 50 riders get a card); the more rides attended, the more cards received. At series’ end, the best poker hand of five cards wins.

In 2016, bikers Paul and Melanie Norris created a challenge to ride 22 events in 11 days. The couple decided to return for the holidays, this time with ugly sweaters, cookies and hot chocolate.

Starting at noon Thursday west of Hot Springs, participants in the LOViT Out N Back will pedal 10 miles, starting with the Lake Ouachita Vista Trail at Denby Point. The route includes a stop for refreshments at the Joplin Inn on U.S. 270.

Also Thursday, there’s a Razorback Greenway lights tour at 4 p.m. in Fayetteville, and the Winter Solstice Ugly Sweater Ride begins at 6 p.m. at Rebel Kettle Brewing, 822 E. 6th St. in Little Rock.

Friday, the Mount Sequoyah MTB ride begins at 3 p.m. in Fayetteville. Meet in the parking lot behind Cliffs Apartments near where Happy Hollow Road intersects Paddock Road.

Or meet to ride Old Post Park Mountain Bike Trail in Russellville at 6 p.m., or pedal to see Christmas lights in Little Rock, starting at 6:30 p.m. at Bobby’s Bike Hike.

Saturday brings three events, and there are four on Christmas Eve, including at 1:30 p.m. the 25th annual Christmas at Camp, in North Little Rock’s Camp Robinson.

For more information, check out facebook.com/umpteenrides.