The 6th Annual Pedaling the Prairie benefitting the athletic department of Faith West Academy invites you to join their ride happening on February 11, 2012 at Waller County Fairgrounds — 22000 Fairgrounds Road Hempstead, TX
We were lucky enough to be granted an interview with Cathy Sturn, Ride Director of Pedaling the Prairie to ask some questions about their upcoming ride.
Why Join this year’s ride?
We think we put on an excellent ride. We have breakfast tacos at the start, homemade goodies at the break points, and hamburgers at the finish. We have motorcycle support, ham operators, and friendly SAG drivers. We consider the rider’s safety a top priority and work closely with local police forces to help with traffic and intersections.
How long has the event been around and how did it start?
This is our 6th year. We had a couple of dads at the school that said we should try a bike ride as a fundraiser. We thought, seriously how hard can that be, boy did we learn a lot. The first year we had 300-350 riders, last year we had over 1500 riders, and this year we are expecting 1500-1800.
What was the motivation behind starting the tour and who benefits from it? Motivation was raising money for the Athletic Department at Faith West Academy.
How have they been able to utilize the funds in the past? Purchasing sports equipment and supplies that the teams might not otherwise have available.
Logistically, can you give us an idea how many volunteers, finances, and planning it takes to put on this event?
We have 100+ volunteers and some wonderful committee members. We start planning shortly after we recuperate from the current ride.
What was the most rewarding experience throughout the years hosting this event?
Seeing the same riders, year after year, and having them come up to us to tell us what a great ride we have and that they will see us next year.
How many riders do you assist during the average race?
Totally depends on the weather. One year it was freezing cold, did not get above 30 degrees. We SAG’d a ton of people that day, everyone was frozen. On a normal day, we probably help 25-40 riders. Only once have we had to have medical assistance for someone that became ill.
What was the most unforgettable experience or worst accident you had in this event?
Last year watching those 1500 riders line up and take off was overwhelming. Pretty cool watching that.
What can folks do to support you and your mission?
Come ride with us.
What is your role in this race and to the success of it?
Ride Coordinator
Additional stuff you would like the folks to know about this year’s ride?
Our sports teams work the break points and they really enjoy talking to the riders and being there to help support them. They cheer them on and welcome them into the break points. We appreciate our riders and want them to come back
Thanks Cathy Sturn for this quick interview and we hope to catch everyone at the ride!
Click here to view the event details of the 12th Fredericksburg Fall Foliage Frolic