Jaycees ready to roll...NABR takes place May 7 this year

Mon April 04 2005
Posted Apr 4, 2005
7,678

Marlys Barker March 31, 2005 Wipe the dust off your bike seat and pump some air into the tires. The Nevada Jaycees invite you to be part of their fifth Nevada Annual Bike Ride, set to roll around the area Saturday, May 7. When the club started this annual event five years ago, they were hopeful it would be around for a long time and get bigger each year. So far, their hopes have been realized. Sue Snyder Thomas, who is co-chairing the event with Monica Mills, said, "the ride has gone from approximately 90 riders the first year to over 200 last year. "When we started planning the first ride, we had no idea how successful it would be. It could be a make or bust project for us, but we knew that with the popularity that cycling has experienced in the past several years, it could eventually be a major event," Thomas said. She said the Jaycees are hoping to see continued growth this year with 250 to 300 riders participating. The bike ride, which begins every year in the middle of Nevada at Minsky's parking lot, all started because two Nevada Jaycees members were avid bicyclists. "One of the bike rides they did about five years ago was the Altoona Tune Up, a 38-mile ride, organized by the Altoona Jaycees," Thomas said. She said although the Altoona ride is no longer on the calendar, it had been a favorite for many, being held the weekend before RAGBRAI. Those two members, Thomas said, "had the notion that maybe we (the Nevada Jaycees) could do a charity ride that would not only promote cycling, but also showcase the Nevada and Story County area, since there were no other rides currently on the calendar." Thomas said the ride was intended to attract people from Nevada and Story County, and they knew it would also attract riders from outside the area. "We wanted to make it a very friendly ride and offer something for all levels of riders," she said. Since its initial year, the ride has been pretty much the same each year, with the Jaycees adding a few things to enhance the ride, which offers three different routes to accommodate the distances various riders are comfortable riding. Last year, a poker run was added for fun, and Thomas said the response to that from riders was positive, so the Jaycees will offer that element again this year. The ride is always a relatively flat route, which the Jaycees say has been a hit with riders, especially because the ride is offered so early in the warm weather season. Another big hit with riders, Thomas said, is the sag support that has been offered every year for those needing a little help getting to their destination. "Skunk River Cycles has been very supportive and has offered bike repair for the registered riders each of the four years," she said. Last year, the Jaycees changed the direction of their route, and Thomas said this year, they will again have the ride run backwards from the direction it ran the first three years. The Jaycees believe the ride has been a positive thing for Nevada and for the other communities on its route, as riders support many local businesses that day. Also positive for its fifth year, Thomas said, the Jaycees are producing yellow shirts for the riders - representative of Louis Armstrong winning six yellow jerseys. "He is a positive role model for our group and community," Thomas said. To find more information about this year's bike ride or to register, people may go to the Jaycees Web site: www.nevjc.d6web.net. Questions about the ride may be e-mailed to NABR5-7-5@hotmail.com. Registration deadline is April 11 and cost is $20. After April 11, people may still register, but the cost will be $25. Registration price includes a shirt, meal from Minsky's after the ride, sag wagon support and rest stops along the route. People may pick up their shirt, meal bracelet and map the day of the ride. "We (the Nevada Jaycees) would like to thank all the sponsors that help us with this event," Thomas said. "Proceeds from this event go back to the Indian Creek Greenbelt Trails project in Nevada. The Nevada business community has been great. Burke has paid for their employees to ride and are a great sponsor for the event." In the past several years, the Jaycees have helped provide funding, through NABR, for a shelter, bike trails and a scoreboard for the SCORE fields. They have also helped purchase helmets for kids in conjunction with the Bike Right safety event. The Jaycees also thank the City of Nevada and Story County for their assistance with the ride.