Rain Forecast Lowers Number on Family Bike Ride

300 local residents – young and old – participated in the annual event that’s quickly becoming a tradition here. That number was about equal to the number who came out to the first Family Bike Ride in 2004, but well below the 400 for the past two years.

Chris Mandelos, the Sports and Recreation head who supervised the event, said the lower turnout was probably due to the weather forecast for that morning. “If there’s a chance that it will rain, parents won’t take their four- or five-year-olds to an event where the roads may be slippery.”

However, those who did come out clearly enjoyed themselves. Prior to the 10 o’clock starting time, many children had their faces (and even arms) painted, and collected sparklers, streamers, balloons, and pinwheels to decorate their bikes.

Smaller children could amuse themselves by taking off their shoes and jumping around in the Princess’s castle inflatable game. And even some adults grooved to past musical hits played by a DJ hired for the event.

This year, there was a slight change to the starting procedure. Rather than have everyone go all at once and perhaps risk an accident at the first turn nearby, organizers decided to divide those starting into two sections, reducing any chances at an accident.

Once upon the route through the western side of the Town, two Public Security vehicles as well as two Police cars and six Police cyclists provided security for the cyclists. When their numbers warranted, police stopped vehicles at intersections for a few moments. Cyclists could either do once around the route, for a distance of six kilometres, or twice around for 12 kilometres.

When they finished their bike run, everyone could have some healthy fruit such as apples, oranges, or bananas as well as drink some fruit juices or bottled water and relax a bit before heading back home.

Almost $200 was collected there by Sun Youth which runs many community services, including bike patrols that are fully trained to assist in emergencies and report incidents to police.