COVID-19 and Cyclo de Mayo. Not a combination I ever hoped for or even imagined, but here we are. Anyone who has ever attended Cyclo de Mayo knows that nothing is more important to me than your safety. Anyone who can use a calendar already knows that Cyclo de Mayo XIV is scheduled before the CDC recommended 8-week moratorium on large events will expire, and that could well be extended. There's only one choice that ensures the safety of the riders, the volunteers, and the general public, and that is to cancel the event for 2020 and look ahead to 2021. Those of you who have already registered, watch for an email through Eventbrite for instructions to transfer your registration to Cyclo de Mayo XIV, 2nd Attempt in 2021 or to request a refund. Those of you who have volunteered to operate Checkpoints, I hope you’ll come back for another try next year.
In the meantime, save the date for Cyclo de Mayo XIV, 2nd Attempt on May 8th, 2021, tentatively hosted at Captain Roy’s at the usual times. You can check out additional details here on BikeIowa. Facebook event to follow.
Des Moines' Original Bicycle Poker Rally will thrill again with a new theme and seven new checkpoints taking participants on a tour of the city. What will the tour be this time? More murals? Another architectural odyssey? Historical Iowa or Des Moines FIrsts? Time will tell, and so will this post. Soon.
As always, there will be fabulous door prizes awarded to the best poker hands, and trophies for fast finishers in the usual categories: Top Three Overall, Guy/Gal (depending on who comes in first), Single Speed/Fixie, Bagger, Fat Bike, and AARP. If you sign up for AARP, please be sure to bring your membership card.
Where will the Checkpoints be? There's only one way to find out, and that's to come to Cyclo de Mayo XIV!
All proceeds from Cyclo de Mayo benefit the Joan S. Gill Memorial fund. Some of the fund is used to install and maintain the public repair stands at Ashworth Pool/Bill Riley trail head and Mullets/Meredith Trail. The rest of the fund benefits the Joan S. Gill Scholarship at Mercy College. Joan was a compassionate nurse and an avid cyclist who always had a smile. From the Mercy College scholarship offerings page:
Joan S. Gill Nursing Scholarship
Funded by the relatives and friends of Joan S. Gill, Diploma Nursing Class of 1994, this scholarship will be awarded to full- or part-time students enrolled in any nursing degree program who are non-traditional in age (older than 25) and raising a family, with a cumulative GPA of 2.7 or higher, and who may struggle with dual roles student/parent. Joan died in 2008 after serving as a mother/baby nurse upon completion of her degree at Mercy.
Ms. Gill was herself a non-traditional student, who understood the challenges of parenting and fulfilling her educational dreams. Family members wish to honor her legacy through scholarships to students in similar circumstances.
Please be sure to arrive before 12:15PM so that you have time to check in and get your race materials.
The course will open at 12:34PM. Checkpoint 1 will be announced at 12:32PM. Racers must complete the 7 Checkpoints, in order, and return to the Start/Finish Line before the course closes at 3:14PM in order to be eligible for trophies and prizes. The course is not marked. You will choose your own route from Checkpoint to Checkpoint, so knowledge of the city is a major advantage.
As I acquire prizes for the big day I'll list them here, and I will be updating other specifics of the event as details are available, so check back often.