Transcript
BRENT FETTERS: “I'm pretty excited about it. I'm just going to do it. This is a bone shaker, penny-farthing. The biggest problem is going to be going down this hill because there's no coasting, there's no brakes, so you just kind of backpedal as you go.”
REPORTER: That was Brent Fetters, whose bike has a nearly four-foot front wheel.
Brent and over 500 cyclists toed the line for the 10th Mayor's Bike Ride on Saturday morning. The annual event starts in Yuma and ends in San Luis Río Colorado.
The 20-mile course down Highway 95 offers four aid stations at Cocopah Corner, Somerton City Hall, Gadsden Park and Moctezuma Park in San Luis. Traffic control is a concern shared by the community. Donnie Bennett, owner of Mr. B's Bicycles, says:
DONNIE BENNETT: “Road biking was really, really popular, but as Yuma has grown, it's gotten smaller as far as road bikes because the streets just haven't been safe.”
REPORTER: Reverse snowbird Bird Sturt, from the Yuma Region Bike Coalition, echoes that concern.
BIRD STURT: “We're trying to get all the roads to a point where they're safe enough that we could have lots of riders coming out and riding. A lot of these people come out once a year for this ride. It's not enough.”
REPORTER: Traffic is controlled along the course, similar to the Yuma Territorial Marathon, which shares part of the route. Mayor Nichols says:
MAYOR NICHOLS: “Just about every law enforcement agency in the area participates at some level.”
REPORTER: Sgt. Ernesto Prieto of the San Luis Police Department commented:
SGT. ERNESTO PRIETO: “This is the second time I myself participate with the trikes in this event. That battery will make it all the way to San Luis.”
REPORTER: The trike is a three-wheeled electric stand-up scooter that can travel over 45 miles an hour. Sergeant Prieto says riding it is like being a kid.
SGT. ERNESTO PRIETO: “It's like being a kid. Everyone rides it. You saw it. Even our chief of police wanted to ride it. Everyone in the department wants to ride it.”
REPORTER: And Sergeant Prieto isn't the only one feeling whimsical. Olga Garrity says:
OLGA GARRITY: “It's been fun. I haven't ridden a bike in 30 years, so I feel like a 12-year-old. Except my butt hurts a little bit more. And a beer, which I couldn't have at 12, right? So yeah, that's what I'm looking forward to.”
“I mean, that's the hardest part about riding a bike by yourself is the cars. So, this is great because, you know, you have a police escort. It's very nice.”
REPORTER: Damiro Rodriguez from the Mexican cycling group Cordiciosos appreciates the escort, too. While the coordination between different local public safety agencies for traffic control is impressive, it's not the only thing they were up to.
BRENT FETTERS: “And the cops kept telling me on the uphill to go, go, go, and I made it all the way up the hill. Like, I couldn't believe I made it.”
REPORTER: That was Brent again at the Gadsden aid station. As for his initial concerns, he says:
BRENT FETTERS: “Downhill actually was way easier than I thought it was going to be. Feeling a little tired. It's definitely got some cramps on my calves and my thighs, but it was awesome. I'm trying to figure out what I'm going to ride next year.”
REPORTER: While Brent's pondering what he'll ride next year, Bobby Scarborough and Richard Files consider what this year's turnout may presage in a decade.
BOBBY SCARBOROUGH: “Biggest year ever, I think, isn't it?”
RICHARD FILES: “Yeah. And just think what it's going to be like in 10 more years. There'll be 3,000 or 4,000 people here. It's just going to grow, and people are coming from out of state.”
REPORTER: Participation may change, but tacos, live music and a supportive community will remain a constant. For KAWC, I'm Public Radio Runner.
