Bike Tour

Dear Friend,  Remember That Time... When I mentioned that 1,200 Lycra clad bicyclist would be coming to town? It's tomorrow!!! Starting around noon on Wednesday, members of the Velo Quebec Grand Tour 2015 will be arriving in St. Albans for a 48 hour visit to our town and surrounding country sides.

I Thought You Were Kidding  Nope, they are coming. Here's the details. Starting tomorrow around noon, about 1,200 bicyclist will be rolling into town on the fourth leg of their week long bike tour. They will be making the Collins-Perley Sports Complex their home until they head back north on Friday morning. Dave Kimel and his crew have transformed the complex into a resort extraordinaire. The majority will be camping in tents on the athletic fields surrounding the complex while a few have hotel rooms in the areas. They will be taking their breakfast and dinners in a magnificent dining room set up for them in the hockey rink and catered by The Abbey. At night, they will be entertained under a big-top tent that will serve as their Evening Bistro with music and and local libations.  But Wait, There's More... Thursday is a day off and the cyclist have several options at their disposal. First, they can "rest" by taking one of five designated bike tours on routes throughout Franklin and Chittenden counties. These routes range from a mere 17 miles to Killkare State Park and back to a 121 mile excursion through Georgia, Milton, South Hero, Colchester, Burlington, Williston, Fairfax and many points in between. For those visitors who want a taste of the local scene, we will be providing a continuous afternoon shuttle bus from the complex to downtown St. Albans where our guests can stroll the streets and sample your hospitality and products. For most, lunch is on their own and they might be seeking a local experience. The Chamber will have a tent set up at the Complex and will be promoting our Regional Guide and local merchants. Here Is Your Opportunity We can't know how many riders will actually come into town or how many will stop in your shop but we do know that this is a great opportunity to make a first impression on potential customers who live within striking distance our our county. Each cyclist has a limited amount of luggage space to take much home with them so they may not be inclined to buy big items this visit. However, most have a car at home that can haul whatever catches their eye, so plan for their next visit. I hope you have a chance to make the best of this opportunity. Let us know if we can help.  Special Thanks Events of this size do not happen without many hours of planning and the help of many cooperating agencies. Thank you to the City of St. Albans, the Town of St. Albans, the public works departments, our public safety teams, the staff of Collins-Perley and you - our Franklin County businesses. Did You Know? Most cyclists are happy with sociable weekend trips and the occasional longer tour during the summer but for some the lure of bigger adventures is irresistible. In September 1879 a group of cycle tourists from the London Bicycle Club rode across France to the Pyrenees. More than thirty years before the riders of the Tour de France first ventured into the mountains these London cycle tourists tackled the celebrated ascents of the Aubisque, Tourmalet, Aspin and Peyresourde. In 1880, a pair of cyclists rode from Lands End to John O'Groats, the famous End-to-End route, covering the 896 miles in thirteen days and establishing Britain's classic long-distance touring challenge. Sore butts galore! https://www.pannier.cc/journal/a-history-of-cycle-touring-part-1

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Dave Southwick