Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, June 1, 1993 TAG: 9305290083
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: BECKY HEPLER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG LENGTH: Long
Cyclists can choose from 20-mile, 50-mile and 70-mile trips on a route that has been traveled by both Daniel Boone and this year's Tour DuPont riders.
At the mention of the recent race, ride director Michael Abraham moved immediately to correct any notion about speed in this event.
"This is a ride, not a race," he said. "People can go as fast or as slow as they like."
It's a very accommodating event, he said.
"I think that bikers sometimes feel like they're left-handers in a right-handed world," Abraham said. "This is one day it can seem different."
The trip starts at the Montgomery Museum in Christiansburg and mostly follows Daniel Boone's trek through the New River Valley on his way west - Mudpike Road in Christiansburg, Rock Road in Radford and Old Wilderness Road in Newbern and Pulaski County.
Before returning to the museum, the trip also will cover some of the areas included in the New River Valley leg of the Tour DuPont.
Riders get a map showing the route and indicating the location of the rest stops, where cyclists will find plenty of water and refreshments. In addition, a "sag wagon" will cruise the route frequently to help stranded or tired riders.
The only requirement is that riders wear a helmet.
"Part of our work in the club is bike awareness and education, especially regarding safety and road etiquette," said Heidi Bernard, who became a club member after participating in last year's ride. Riders also will be expected to be good citizens on the road.
"It only takes a few rude riders to give us all a bad name," she said.
The registration fee is $12. Cyclists can register early at bike shops or the morning of the ride at the museum.
A reception for the riders will be held Friday night, 7-9 p.m., at the Blacksburg Holiday Inn. Riders can sign up then, as well.
Last year's ride drew 110 people, and Abraham is positive this year's number will be higher, thanks in part to the publicity generated by the Tour DuPont as well as the popularity of bikes as a form of recreation.
"We have people from Washington, Charlotte, North Carolina, signed up for this ride," he said. "You never know until after the ride how many people actually sign up, but we are anticipating a good number."
For those who view bicycling as a more solitary event, don't panic. The ride does not begin with a mass start, nor will you be sharing the road with more than 100 riders at one time.
Riders can leave the museum anytime between 7 and 9 a.m. and go as far as they want as slow as they want, which means they most likely will be evenly distributed along the course.
Abraham, who shares the vice president's job with his wife, moved to Christiansburg two years ago from Seattle, voted one of the top U.S. biking cities. He said these kinds of recreational bike trips are new only in this area.
"There's a ride in Iowa that draws 7,000 to 8,000 people, and the Seattle-to-Portland ride had 10,000 riders," he said.
Abraham was quick to point out the economic potential of these events.
"The Seattle-Portland ride charged $50 per rider, which immediately generated $500,000 for the club," he said. "By the time you factor in food and lodging, we figured the race brought $1.5 million to the region."
The ride has community support. Several industries, including Xaloy in Pulaski, RADVA and Industrial Drives in Radford and Corning in Blacksburg, have contributed to the event.
Mostly, however, it is a family affair.
Bernard, who bikes for health and recreation, signed up for the ride last year as a way to spend quality time with her daughter, Catherine, who was 10.
"She was so proud," she said. "That 20 miles of biking was quite an accomplishment under her belt."
The trip had some surprises for the mother as well.
"I found a road I'd never been on before, Childress Road," she said. "It ran through your typically gorgeous Montgomery County countryside. We'd go five or six miles without seeing another vehicle besides the sag wagon."
Bernard wanted to introduce her daughter to the pleasant aspects of riding, such as being able to see the beautiful countryside, but like any mother was concerned about safety.
"I wanted her to get better at her bike-riding skills, not worry about traffic," she said. "It was a well-managed ride; I was really impressed at the supervision."
The high point of the trip for them was the end.
"When we finally got back to the museum, there were all these people, clapping and cheering us on as if we were the most important people in the race," she said. "Overall, it was a great day."
The two Bernards are returning to ride this year and it could become an annual thing for them.
"I hope my 9-year-old daughter will accompany us next year and someday maybe even my husband will go with us," she said.
by CNB