Published: April 26, 2008 01:40 am            

Not your ordinary cycling event

Valley Rally kicks off Saturday Brickfest

Pauls Valley’s annual Brickfest is scheduled to take place Friday, May 2 and Saturday, May 3 and the two-day event will feature a wide variety of food vendors, artisans, activities and entertainment.

Kicking off Saturday’s festivities will be the 13th Annual Valley Rally Bicycle Tour and tour committee member Ellisse Varner said this year’s rally will prove to be unlike other cycling events for participating bikers.

“I believe the 2008 Valley Rally will be unique compared to many cycling events. One thing that will make our ride unique is the quality of raffle items we’ll have.

“For one, we’ll have a large amount of gifts. Secondly, all the gifts will be bike-related. We won’t have gift certificates to restaurants or anything like that — all the gifts will apply directly to cycling,” Varner explained.

“We’ll have bike racks for people to haul their bikes on vehicles and we’ll have an indoor trainer so people can ride their bikes even during bad weather. We’ll also be giving away a nice assortment of tools and accessories for bicycles.”

Another thing that sets this bicycle rally apart, Varner noted, is the fact that it is a casual tour and not a frantic race. The very nature of this rally allows riders to pace themselves and enjoy the view along the way.

“This is a great ride because there’s hardly any traffic along the routes. Around bigger cities you’re fighting traffic but this rally takes riders on a scenic journey through this part of the state,” she said.

“It starts at the Santa Fe Depot and goes across the low-water bridge west of town. From there it goes cross country to Wynnewood and Davis and if you take the longer route it winds through the Arbuckle Mountains.”

Besides a chance to win some valuable raffle items and see some scenic countryside, Varner said each Valley Rally cyclist will receive a commemorative event T-shirt as well as a gift bag that will prove useful during the course of the tour.

“Every rider will receive a Valley Rally Bicycle Tour shirt and gift bag. In each bag riders will find a variety of things that will be helpful while they take their chosen route.

“We’ll have a 30 mile loop, a 48 mile loop and a 62 mile loop. Some of the things they’ll find in the bag include an Oklahoma road map, lip balm, snack food and some items to give them a little boost,” Varner noted.

“We’ll give them some GU Endurance Energy Gel as well as some Jelly Belly Sport Beans. The sport beans are a sport version of Jelly Bellies that release a little extra energy when riders chew them.”

The Valley Rally Bicycle Tour is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. and participating cyclists should show up to register at the Rennie Memorial Gateway Park located next to the Santa Fe Depot by 8 a.m.

Pre-tour food and drinks, rest stops, sag support, as well as post-tour refreshments will be available for all registered cyclists. For more information call Jennifer Samford at 405- 238-1238.

        

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