Plans Underway for Local Impact for Pedal The Plains Tour

Reed Rowley and Elizabeth Norris from Pedal The Plains Tour

Representatives for the second annual Pedal the Plains Bicycle Tour presented an overview of their needs from the Lamar and Prowers County community for the three day event on Thursday, May 2 at the Lamar Chamber of Commerce.  Elizabeth Norris, Community Relations Manager for the Denver Post, and Reed Rowley, from the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade, outlined the logistics that will go into the multi-mile bike ride.  The three day event will begin in Eads, travel to Lamar, La Junta and complete the circuit back to Eads, September 20-22.  Over 1,000 bike riders are expected to take part said Norris, who added that organizers are counting on volunteers from Lamar and Prowers County to help coordinate the rider’s overnight stay in Lamar on September 20, the first leg of the journey. 

Early Plans and Need for Local Volunteers Discussed with Representatives

Riders will have a rolling start between 10am and 1pm from Eads to Lamar, using CR 8, the May Valley Road, to enter Lamar at the Big Timbers Museum for their overnight stay.  Riders and support staff will use almost every motel in town, as well as Savage Stadium and the Lamar Community Building as a central campsite, restroom facilities and bicycle storage area.  Norris suggested that area restaurants, ATMs and other facilities make sure they’re stocked for the influx of riders and support crews for the overnight stay. 

“We’ll need about 20 to 30 volunteers to help out in four areas once the riders are in Lamar for the evening,” Norris explained.  People will be needed to direct traffic to the parking areas in town, offer bike security for the riders until they depart on the 21^st, assist the organization’s ‘Green Team, Zero Hero’ group with sanitation and clean-up of all the facilities and some will act as roamers for as needed tasks.  The PDP Tour will help defray expenses with a $4,000 donation to the community.  $2,000 will also be donated to help pay for entertainments costs that evening and another $2,000 has been offered as a grant. 

Vendor groups are encouraged to apply for a permit to sell food and other items to the riders for breakfast, lunch and dinner on the 20^th and 21^st.  The Tour comes equipped with its own traveling beer tent which will be open to the public on East Beech Street near the Lamar Chamber of Commerce, sidewalk sales and vendors who can offer items of historical or local interest are also being sought for their wares.  Rowley said last year’s participating communities generated $250,000 in revenue from the Tour and he anticipated that much again.   

The logistics meeting was attended by representatives from the City of Lamar, Prowers County, the Lamar Chamber of Commerce and downtown development, police and fire departments, economic development, CSU Extension for FFA and 4-H and regional tourism groups.  Some members also attended a site selection group that got a first hand look at some of the facilities of the area.  The next planning meeting will be held in August.

By Russ Baldwin