WAHPETON, N.D. (AP) - The year 2019 will signify 150 years since the city of Wahpeton was founded, and although it’s a ways down the road, plans are being made to do something special.
Shari Hetland, Wahpeton economic development assistant, said officials are in the beginning stages of planning a bike run that will take place over a series of six years.
Starting this year, bicyclists can participate in a 25-mile bike run and during the next few years, those who ride will see their mileage increase until they hit 150 miles in 2019.
The concept of having a bike run was originally brought up during a Wahpeton Convention and Visitors Bureau meeting, where the idea of a marathon was pitched, the Daily News reported (https://bit.ly/LWgfen).
What pushed the Convention and Visitors Bureau to shift their direction to a bike run instead was that a marathon consists of 26 miles, which doesn’t match up with the 150 miles they are aiming for. Officials also felt it would be too close to the Fargo Marathon.
Hetland said that every bike run that takes place will be held during the Blue Goose weekend, which is June 7 this year.
Ideas for memorabilia are already being brought up, according to Hetland, who said the Convention and Visitors Bureau is planning on handing out special spokes for bike wheels every year to people who complete the 25 miles, and at the end of the series, they will have a complete bicycle wheel. Hetland added that there would be individual awards each year, too.
Even though the bike run is in the early phase of planning, Hetland said that help is needed.
“We are looking for people to work on the committee. If a person has experience with marathons or are bicycle enthusiasts, or have any kind of experience like that, we would love to have them on board,” Hetland said. “We plan on meeting on a monthly basis, until after the race, where it would then probably go to an ’as needed’ format.”
The course of the bike run itself is also in the early phases, but Hetland assured that it would utilize the bike and walking trails all over Wahpeton.
“We would like to incorporate riding by the different attractions so people from out of town can see things they normally wouldn’t,” Hetland said.
Eventually, after 2019 has come and gone, Hetland said, she would like to see the bike run become a permanent part of the city’s yearly events.
“We are looking to expand Blue Goose Days so we want to make this bike run a long-term event,” she said.
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Information from: Wahpeton Daily News, https://www.wahpetondailynews.com
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