Bike tour of Sebring 2005 Polk area a success!

The first wave of riders enters the Lake reedy Rest stop briefly for nutrition. These strange looking bikes in the foreground are much more comfortable to ride (big seats) than the traditional bicycles.

With seven volunteers from the LWRA multiple checkpoints were set up in the Frostproof and Lake Wales area in a 50+ mile loop. Depending on whose numbers you use, two of our checkpoints attempted a rider count and came up with 79 and 83 for a total. Did a few riders take a wrong turn some where? Thankfully our volunteers were available to steer the weary riders in he right direction again. There were very little mechanical failures and only one accident that resulted in a trip to the hospital for a rider. LWRA Volunteers also kept an eye out for riders known to be experiencing problems tracking their progress as they pass through each checkpoint. Although we needed about two more volunteers in critical locations, member Glen KA2EUM having secured his checkpoint after the last rider went through took up another checkpoint that was not covered. Members Rick WB9IJW and Jack K4BYF, after securing their stations, saw to it that the last riders safely made it to the next checkpoint. Rick WB9IJW also handled net control very smoothly. At our October meeting, Tour of Sebring T-shirts provided by the Palm Beach Bicycle Club were handed out to the volunteers. The shirts have '2004' printed on them. This was the tour that never was thanks to all of last years Hurricanes. So if you received a shirt for your efforts, consider it a souvenir! Thank you Pete K4APX, Glen KA2EUM, Jack K4BYF, Rick WB9IJW, George KJ4BB, and Rick W4RLD, (John KC4KLM also participated) for doing a great and needed service during the 2005 Sebring bike tour. Do you have pictures from the tour? Bring them on some kind of media to the next club meeting for the LWRA archives and web site. Some pictures have already been sent in. Have a point of view look from several checkpoints set up by members.