Well, there was no chocolate at the end and there were a lot of hills, but three tri-town women recently completed a 65-mile bike ride and lived to tell the tale.

Lynn Amicucci, an interior designer in Rochester, Grace Knox, owner of DG Service Company in Mattapoisett and Marsha Hartley, owner of Rochester’s Studio 105, embarked on the Tour de Chocolate Town in Hershey, Pennsylvania on Sept. 13.

This was the first long distance charity ride for Amicucci and Knox, though Hartley, a yoga and pilates instructor, has done 50- and 100-mile rides in the past. She was the first to sign up for the race with her niece, Katie Hartley, a Rochester native who now lives in Clinton. The two often participate in fitness challenges for a good cause.

For this ride, proceeds benefited the Children’s Miracle Network.

"I thought it was a really good charity to ride for. Anytime you can help anybody, especially children, it’s a worthwhile cause," said Hartley.

When Amicucci and Knox heard about the ride, they asked if they could join.

The two often trained at night, trying to push themselves to cover different terrain along the fairly level ground of Mattapoisett, Rochester and surrounding towns. But, it was hard to anticipate or prepare for the hills of Pennsylvania, said Amicucci.

Amicucci said the Tour de Chocolate wasn't exactly a beginner’s race.

“It was hard. We rode the whole thing, but every mile had a hill to conquer,” she said. “We were exhausted and we did it. We were very proud of ourselves.”

Knox agreed.

"It’s was sixty-five miles and there were sixty-five hills," she said. But, "It was beautiful country. We had a great day."

Hartley said she felt good at the end of the race.

"I felt really strong and it was hard," she said.

The four women rode at their own paces, so were not together for the entire race. They did meet up at the finish line...where there was, somewhat disappointingly, no chocolate.

"They should have given us some Hershey's chocolate," joked Knox.

The ladies did get some of Hershey's famous confections before heading back to the tri-town though.

Next, the Hartleys will participate in a duathlon in Rhode Island followed by a Spartan Race in Boston.

Knox and Amicucci will tackle the Buzzards Bay Coalition's 75-mile Watershed Ride as they ultimately work towards the Pan-Mass Challenge next year. Since there will be considerably less hills on Buzzard's Bay's route, which goes from Westport to the Cape, Amicucci is anticipating an easier ride.

“It’s going to be a cakewalk,” she said.