Published: September 05, 2009 11:16 pm         

Riders tackle grueling ride in Tour de Trykes

Steve Colton reclined against the back of a chair in David Allen Memorial Ballpark early Satur-day afternoon as he began sipping on a can of beer.

The 51-year-old Oklahoma City resident had just finished a grueling 100-mile bicycle ride for Enid Noon AMBUCS’ fourth annual Tour de Trykes event. The bike ride raises money, which allows the organization to purchase therapeutic bicycles for people with disabilities.

Colton and fellow Okla-homa City residents Jim Thompson, 51, and Lisa Thompson, 47, were the first to finish the 100-mile ride, which began at 8 a.m. Fifteen riders participated in the 100-mile option, while other riders biked various other distances.

Colton, as he caught his breath after the long ride, said he would “most definitely” return next year.

“The cause was basically one of the main reasons (Jim, Lisa and I) wanted to do it,” Colton said. “It makes riding that 100 miles knowing you’re doing it for a good cause that much more meaningful.”

Another thing that helped the event to go well, Colton said, was there were no accidents along the way.

“Everyone was really knowledgeable (in what they were doing),” he said. “I felt very confident riding out there with everybody.”

Mike Stuber, a lead coordinator for the event, said he didn’t hear of any accidents either. But that doesn’t mean the whole affair went without hitches.

As volunteers set up tables along the route with fruit, water and other items for the bikers, Stuber said someone came by and stole a table at Oklahoma 132 and West Carrier. That was before the food and other items came, but Stuber said it was still an inconvenience.

Enid Noon AMBUCS also had a lot less money to work with this year than last year, Stuber said. They lost one grant and received less money from Enid Convention & Visitors Bureau, because more organizations requested money.

But, ridership increased from 147 to 219 this year, and AMBUCS also had more sponsors for the event.

“I figured we would get 200,” Stuber said of the number of riders.

Riders came from all over Oklahoma, he added, and even from Texas and Arkansas.

The weather at the start of the ride was overcast but cool, Stuber said, making the ride more enjoyable than some in the past, where the weather had been hot and sticky.