COEUR d’ALENE — For many bicycle riders in the Coeur d’Alene Blue Cruise on Saturday, the event provided them with a great opportunity to enter their first organized cycling event.

Mike Doty of Coeur d’Alene was inspired to ride in his first organized ride by friends.

“I’m just getting into the sport,” said Doty, 20. He rode with friends Dan Hanks, 32, and Paul Hardy, 18, both also of Coeur d’Alene. They did the 32-mile course.

The recreational cycling event is presented by the Blue Cross of Idaho Foundation for Health. All the proceeds from the Blue Cruise benefit the North Idaho Centennial Trail system. The goal this year was to raise $5,000, which is what was raised last year.

The cruise offers 15-mile, 32-mile, and 62-mile routes, all starting and finishing at Woodland Middle School. The routes included the Centennial and Prairie trails and included Liberty Lake and Newman Lake in Washington and Hauser Lake in Idaho.

Nearly 130 cyclists rode in the event. Olympic gold medalist cyclist and Boise resident Kristin Armstrong was among them.

Hanks, who rode in the event last year, said, “I use the trails all the time. It’s a good cause to support.”

Robert Ancker of Hayden said this was his first organized cycling event.

“I like the smallness of it,” he said. “But I figure it all still counts for experience.”

He said it’s a good way to get used to the process athletes experience in a larger organized cycling event.

Sherry Harbaugh of Spokane agreed. It was her first organized cycling event (she has done some triathlons).

It provided her a great opportunity to try out her new bike, she said.

She said she plans to do the Blue Cruise again next year, and will try and get her two kids to enter the event.

Armstrong, 36, said she loves riding in the event because of the great scenery along the trail here, including the trees and water. The trails are in great shape, too, she said.

“You don’t need a gym membership to get out on these safe trails,” she said. “There are a lot of neat things happening on these paths.”

As a role model, she said she wants to inspire others to live a healthy lifestyle.

“You can tell this community is really behind activity and fitness,” she said.

She was a gold medalist in the 2008 Beijing Olympics in the time trial.

“Even if I can change one person’s life it will make my whole day worth it.”

She rode the 62-mile route even though she is pregnant and due in eight weeks (a boy). She rode with her husband, Joe Savola.

She said she is still considering whether or not to continue riding professionally.

Stewart Johnson, a spokesman for Blue Cross of Idaho, said the Blue Cruise event’s three courses allows people of all ages and skill levels to participate.

It was the second year the event was in Coeur d’Alene. There are other rides in Twin Falls and Meridian, near Boise.

“These trails and paths — it’s important to preserve and protect them because they are a free playground for everybody,” Johnson said.