More than 50 motorcyclists ride in the third annual Cruise for a Cure Saturday. The ride took place throughout southern Minnesota and ended in Lyle with a dinner and raffle.

More than 50 motorcycles filled the roads of southeastern Minnesota Saturday as the third annual Cruise for a Cure took place.

The motorcycle cruise was restarted in 2011 as part of the Lyle Area Cancer efforts to raise money for cancer research.

“This was a great opportunity for the LAC,” said Dwight DeBoer, a Cruise for a Cure organizer.

DeBoer knows firsthand how important the fight to cure cancer is. His mother died of cancer in 2002, and his wife, Melody, is a cancer survivor.

“Everyone’s been directly or indirectly affected by cancer,” Melody said Saturday.

The cruise left the Lyle American Legion at about 11 a.m. and headed to Tolly’s Time Out in Austin. From there, motorcyclists went to Brownsdale to The Frontier Lounge, then to Blooming Prairie and the J & H Bar, the Geneva Bar and Grill in Geneva and finally ended at Hunter’s Bar in Myrtle.

Bikes are lined up in in Lyle before heading out for the third annual Cruise for a Cure Saturday morning.

Each stop gave away a door prize for riders taking part — just another example of how the Cruise for a Cure and the LAC thrive off volunteer help.

The ride wrapped up with a meal at the Lyle American Legion, followed by another raffle. Though the final donation tally won’t be known for a few days, Dwight was confident the cruise broke the donation goal from last year.

“It has a huge impact,” he said.

All proceeds will go to the 2013 Lyle Area Cancer Auction effort.