Sunday, March 11, 2007

Bike club gives offer another go-round Filed under: Scott Richardson — Scott Richardson @ 10:47 am

Back by popular demand, the McLean County Wheelers is sponsoring a "How Bikes Change Lives Giveaway." The bike club did its first giveaway in 2005 to spread the word about how bicycles can help people get fit and have fun, too. The winners took to the road and lost weight, enjoyed quality time with their families and made friends with other cyclists. After listening to the Wheelers' "sales pitch" on bikes during that first giveaway, I bought my first bike as an adult. That was about 10,300 miles ago. I've lost 12 inches around the waist. I'm happier, stronger and will live longer as a result. Though not mandatory, club members hope people who are given the hybrid bikes will work up in distance to complete a 30-mile ride during the annual Ride & Stride. The club will offer training rides several times a week to the winners and to the riding public that gradually increase in distance. The Ride & Stride, sponsored by the Wheelers and the Heartland chapter of the American Red Cross based in Bloomington, will be June 16, starting at Tipton Park in Bloomington. Other routes will stretch 15 miles, 60 miles and new this year, 100 miles. Cost is $20 if you preregister, $25 the day of the event. Entry includes lunch. A T-shirt also is available for an added cost. One condition to the giveaway is that winners agree to be interviewed for a story in the Pantagraph that will run later in the year about how their bikes changed their quality of life — or not. Winners must be 18 years old or older. Bikes will be valued about $350 each and come from three Bloomington-Normal bikes shops: Vitesse, Bloomington Cycle and Wilson's. Winners will receive helmets, too. Write a short essay on how you hope a bike would change your life and e-mail to srichardson@pantagraph.com or snail-mail them to Scott Richardson in care of the Pantagraph, 301 W. Washington St., Bloomington, 61702-2907. Deadline is March 31. A committee of the Wheelers will make the selections.