Another one down! The Road Apple Roubaix was another well-organized success, filling Garrettsville with enthusiastic bikers of every skill level and parking in every open space in the downtown area. Great crowd! The wheel-rights got off pretty close to the advertised start time and apparently everyone actually returned too. The registration numbers were laminated and very cool. The tech situation was boosted by the Summit Free Wheelers who pitched in with the timing devices in connection with their youth development program. And we must have hit the Big Time…there was even a drone overhead at the Main and High Street intersection as participants went off on their 15, 25 or 40 mile excursions after the singing of the National Anthem (by Lisa Plisko).
Anyway, it was a great turn-out; more than 65 more pre-registrations than last year and more still on the day of. Once again there was a plethora of brightly-colored garb and helmets, stylish too, dontcha know. A few individuals had some nifty mittens that appeared to be specifically designed to fit over handlebars–neat idea. Some adventurers had helmet cams to record their comings-and-goings; some had discovered the advantages of fenders/mud flaps; some just decided that it was going to be muddy and the hell with it. One dude was there on some sort of a motorized, two-wheeled board (wheel in the center); I saw him go off, don’t know when or whether he came back..a major challenge, I’d say. I also noticed that there seemed to be more women (Yay) and fewer kids at this one. Folks seem to be having a good time and the event also has generated its own shirts and glasses; I saw them in the crowd. I also saw some item of clothing advertising ?Margie Bars?. What, pray tell are those?
The spread of prizes in the raffle display was impressive and even larger than last year, many were there courtesy of the event’s sponsors, which included Double Wing Brewing, the bike hub, Slim & Jumbo’s, Bike Ohio, Reed Financial Services, Ohio Outside, Mountain Road Cycle, the Brew Mentor, Velodrome Cleveland, Rock Creek Roubaix,Right Path Massage & Fitness, Jimmy’s Christmas Trees. The items to be won included Velodrome passes and memberships, Rock Creek Roubaix entry/pass, 1-hour massage, gift card from Mountain Road, a Craft jersey, a Castelli Jacket, PZ headband, a Pearl Izumi sleeve (serious bikers will recognize the names and the quality), a Matco Tools clock, gloves,socks leg & arm warmers and a membership from the bike hub, Blue Sky kit w/ socks, a mondo gift basket full of stuff, hats, shoes…you name it, and there was probably one there for a serious bike aficionado. AND don’t forget the Christmas tree from Jimmy.
After the pedal-happy participants returned to Slim & Jumbo’s, there was a bottomless pot o’ chili, generous outpourings from sponsor Double Wing Brewing…in RAR (Road Apple Roubaix) glasses, of course, and competitions for men and women in arm wrestling–with an official arm-wrestling table with pads and all. Quite the day!
Look for it next year. Better yet–get out that old two-wheeler and join in.
