“Tour de Farms” is an annual bike visit to Lincoln County farms, now in its 19th year.

There were four separate rides Saturday. The first was a 17-mile family ride, starting and stopping at Sheepscot General Store. The other three – a 42-mile ride, a 58-mile ride, and a 100-mile ride – started and ended at Morris Farm in Wiscasset. This year, a dozen farms were on the tours.

Bob Bruce, who has run the tour all 19 years, said he tries to include new farms every year. “We add and subtract rides ... some are easy outings, others are more challenging. You can ride along the Kennebec River, or to the top of Blinn Hill. There are routes along Route 1, and routes along quiet country lanes.”

About 30 people had preregistered, but typically, more will sign up on the day of the ride, Bruce said. “They’re waiting to see what the weather is like,” he said. There had been considerable ground fog about an hour before the rides were scheduled to begin.

The ride isn’t a race anymore, although everyone gets a number and is accounted for after the ride. “We tell people to ride at the pace you’re comfortable at,” he said.

Many of the riders are regulars every year, but some were first-timers. On their first Tour were John and Maureen Denison, from Andover, Massachusetts. Their power was out due to the recent gas explosions, and they took a short vacation.

Sandra Neeley, from Portland, was on her fourth tour, this time with friends attending Bowdoin College. They were experienced riders and planned the 58-mile ride.

Just before the riders set off, Bruce gave them some information about safety and how the routes were marked. “If you get a flat, or need help for any reason, call us or ask the farm where you are to call us and we’ll come and get you.”

As the riders took off for the first farm on their tour, the fog lifted and the sun lit the way.