Briefly in the news

“Gearin’ Up” for a good cause, about 70 bicyclists will head to San

Diego’s Mission Bay today.

The 100-mile bike-a-thon, now in its seventh year, benefits Royal

Family Kids’ Camp, a nonprofit organization that organizes camps for

abused and neglected children.

The money raised during the event will help to send 100 kids to camp,

said Dave Brooks, a Newport Mesa Unified School District trustee who

helped organize the event.

The two-day event will take the group from Costa Mesa to San Clemente

via Irvine and Laguna Niguel Regional Park Saturday. On Sunday, bikers

will pass Carlsbad and Torrey Pines Hill before reaching their goal. Down

there, the group will feel like they haven’t left home, with a lunch of

Wahoo’s fish tacos ready to be consumed.

Brooks, who has participated in the event for the past two years, said

he’s been training his muscles since April. But while most of the

participants have done so as well, he said anyone’s welcome to show up

today and come along.

The bike-a-thon takes off from Newport Mesa Christian Center, 2599

Newport Blvd., Costa Mesa, at 8 a.m. Check in time is at 7 a.m. and the

registration fee is $60.

For information on Royal Family Kids’ Camp, call (714) 438-0510.