Bicycle Festival attracts cyclist from all over for three day event
From the Daily Commercial – Bicycle Festival! – http://www.dailycommercial.com/100809bikeadvance
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DAVID DONALD
Staff Writer
MOUNT DORA — This weekend marks the 35th Annual Mount Dora Bicycle Festival, a call to ride for cyclists from all over the state converge on Lake’s testing terrain.
More than 500 cyclists from across the state are expected to take to Lake’s highways and byways during the three-day event on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
“People need to be patient and realize it’s a positive for the people on the bicycle to see our county,” said Kathy Hoechst, executive director of the Mount Dora Chamber of Commerce.
There are almost a dozen rides organized ranging from 12 miles to 100 miles. Each route is rated on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being easy and 5 the most difficult.
The festival really starts rolling on Saturday with the most difficult ride — a 100 mile scenic ride through the rural landscape of Northern Lake county and south into its rolling hills.
Other rides take cyclists through Emeralda Island, up steep Sugar Loaf Mountain and into Howey-in-the-Hills with a pit stop for some German pastries at the Yalaha Bakery.
All the routes are marked to guide the cyclists.
Hoechst said the festival is a tremendous boost to the bed and breakfasts, hotels and restaurants in the area.
If you’re not interested in riding, there are several things to do at the bike festival.
More than a dozen vendors will display their items from 9 a.m. to 4 .m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
There will be a free movie Friday night in Donnelly Park and a downtown art stroll from 6 to 8 p.m. showcasing local and regional artists.
The Florida Bicycle Association is holding its annual meeting on the chamber lawn at 3:30 p.m.
A growing movement to address bicycle safety in Lake culminates at 4:15 p.m. at the festival with the Lake County Bicycle Alliance holding its first safety summit to encourage cyclists and motorists to become more courteous toward each other and familiar with bicycle safety laws.
The alliance has several billboards throughout the county featuring Lake County cyclists. The aim of the billboards is to humanize the cyclists to passing motorists.
The alliance is dedicating the summit to the Umatilla resident Ann Ugolini, who died in September when she was struck from behind by a car while riding a bicycle.
“It really doesn’t matter that we didn’t know her,” said Rick Pitner, alliance organizer. “She was truly a wife, daughter and a mother.”
Tags: Bicycle, bicycles, festival, mountain, organization, safety
