Despite the forecast for wet weather, a record number of 137 riders registered for the 2009 Tour de Cypress bike ride on Saturday, April 18.
A total of 41 riders registered for the 100K ride, 42 started the 45 mile ride, 30 were in the 30 mile ride and 24 began the 10 mile ride.
The four rides began during a light dizzle, progressed into thunder and lightning, and continued through heavy downpours.
“About 30% of the riders returned to town in pick up vehicles,” said Pat Wright, bike race organizer for the sponsoring Rotary Club. “The remainder of the riders stuck it out and either cut their rides short or completed their full course.”
Lee Ragsdale, of Fort Worth, and Jeff Wilcox, of Durham, N. C., finished first and second in the 100K ride. They returned to the square together after completing the course in about three hours.
Douwe Plantinga of Franklin County was the first to finish the 45 mile ride, and Allison Smith, a 2004 graduate of Mount Vernon High School, was the first to return to the square on the 30 mile ride.
Cole Harris, age 12 of Richardson, was the first rider to finish the 10 mile family ride.
“All the riders liked the new routes we used this year and appreciated all the support they received from volunteers along their ride,” Mrs. Wright added.
Rotarians provided lunch and beverages to riders and made them available to the public for purchase on Saturday. They served 160 hamburgers.
On Friday, April, 17, Rotarians honored local emergency services personnel and their families with a barbecue dinner at the Bufflehead Ranch. Door prizes were awarded during the dinner.
The first Tour de Cypress event was in 2005 and attracted 112 riders. In 2006, 90 participated. The 2007 ride was hampered by freezing temperatures and only 64 brave souls tackled the course. Ridership went back up in 2008 with 94 entries.