Table of Contents From the President Officer Nominations In Memoriam The 2000 OKHT Bike Handling Class Advocacy Matters

The 2000 OKHT
Wow!

Wow! That's about all you can say. Wow!

The 2000 Old Kentucky Home Tour was an unqualified success. A record number of participants (884!) for this year's event including a record number who showed up Saturday morning for day-of-ride registration. More out-of-state riders than ever before with contingents from Michigan, Missouri, Georgia, North Carolina, New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee, Illinois, Indiana and, Scott T. from Texas who came on a dare.

Over 120 volunteers planned, organized, phoned, stuffed, staffed, baked, sagged, roved, served, fretted and enthused in the process of creating and delivering this wonderful event. A tip of my helmet to all who made this year's ride a reality, including, of course, our supporting sponsors, Buffalo Trace Distillers and Scheller's Fitness and Cycling. For the first time, the Old Kentucky Home Tour and the Louisville Bicycle Club affiliated with a charitable organization and from the proceeds of the Tour donated $2000 to the Brain Injury Association of Kentucky. This was supplemented by $1300 in proceeds from the bike raffle (LeMond Tourmalet donated by Scheller's Fitness & Cycling), the amount of which doubled when raffle winner Dr. Gary Griffin re-gifted the bike and matched the proceeds! What a moment! Wow!

Heine Bros. Coffee and Nancy's Bagels at Tom Sawyer really got us off right. Sonny & John's first sag eased the one-day riders back to Sawyer and sent the rest on their way to Barbara and Company's sag #2 where people raved about The Harmonics of Louisville. Those guys (and gals) were great! And really added some flavor to the event. The sag food was terrific and featured bread donated by Great Harvest and fruit provided by Creation Gardens.

What can we say about the lunch stop? Wow! Greg White and Gerald Versluys were the driving forces behind the Parrothead Lunch. And what about that Michele! The gorgeous grove of trees behind St. Michael's Catholic Church provided an ideal spot while the DJ kept us jumpin' with Jimmy Buffet.

Mark's Feed Store catered the box lunches while Greg White blended Gatoradaritas. Wow! Some problems with the route marking put a number of unsuspecting riders on the 70 route instead of the 50, but what luck!

They got to hear Vera's beautiful voice at the Karaoke stop at the Mt. Zion Church. And a few riders gave the mike a turn, as well.

Jerry, Jamie and Dave really took care of those braving the century at the "new" stop at Abe Lincoln's Homestead. Having the "clubhouse" was a treat. Air conditioning, tables, chairs, restrooms, a kitchen! Almost makes Pottershop worth it. And Alison was a welcome sight and a real ride-saver with that last Pottershop sag stop.

Bardstown: Okay, our biggest problem was too much to do! Dr. Hemiola and the Blues Activators, free massage, the children's bike rodeo, the Buffalo Trace- sponsored bourbon tasting, free carriage rides courtesy of Millennium Sport and Import, the Olive Garden dinner, the bike raffle (hooray for Marilyn Motsch, bike winner and OKHT logo designer!), Chris Carmichael seminar, door prizes, John May's photos of the ride. The Bardstown High School and Elementary School offered the perfect combination of facilities, and the proximity to town was a real plus: much of Bardstown only a block or two away.

Sunday morning bellies full of Chris Cakes, we rode through some sprinkles to the first sag, bagpipes & Clan McDonald. The "new" Cookie Stop was simply lovely with a large enthusiastic staff of volunteers. Barbara Tretter kept everyone in line with her whistle and squirt gun. Molly's hammered dulcimer seemed perfect in the clearing by the creek. Almost there, the Wathen-Hower sag offered the weary just enough carbos to deliver them back to Sawyer for the pizza party and Heidi Howe concert courtesy of St. Matthews Dental Care Group and Dr. Gary Griffin.

Thanks to Distinctive Signs for helping us look so professional this year, to SunCom for the use of their cellular phones, to the YMCA for the guest passes, and to Republic Bank for their financial support. What an incredible ride!

Wow! That's about all you can say. Wow!

Committees now forming for the 2001 Old Kentucky Home Bicycle Tour. Contact Co-Directors Jane Tyler, 897-3786, or Kathy Schmitt, 896-4596, or e-mail info@okht.org to volunteer. Don't miss out on all the fun.