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P

erfect fall riding weather greeted more than fifty people who turned out for the 2010 Thanksgiving morning bike ride through Oriental. There were also 4 dogs in the mix, three of them riding in bike baskets and one leading the way (though somewhat tuckered out by the end of the several miles.)

Cyclists on the Thanksgiving morning bike ride.

This bike ride is a continuation of a loosely-organized tradition that began a few years ago. (In previous years, word went out with about 24 hours advance notice that there’d be a ride.)

The group photo at Deatons, first stop on the ride, and traditional spot for the photo. The group of cyclists has gotten bigger over the years. We may need a wider lens next year…

The route, traveled every Thanksgiving the past few years, has turned in to a tour of the boatyards and marinas and boat launches in the Old Village part of town. Riders cycled past the harbor, the South Avenue and Neuse Drive waterfront, then to Deatons, the first of several boatyard/marinas on the ride. Next, down Ragan Road to SailCraft boatyard, then down Gilgo and Windward to Whittaker Creek Marina.

Two of the smallest participants in the ride. They rode along in the basket of Ben Reese’s bike.

After that, they before doubled back and crossed Highway 55 to Triton’s before continuing down Midyette Street to the wildlife boat ramp and the small boat launch near the Oriental bridge, and then back to the harbor.

D Wogaman at Whittaker Creek.

(While there are two other marinas in the town limits — Sea Harbour Yacht Club and Whittaker Pointe Marina, both off of White Farm Road — it would have meant cycling several more miles, and on the busier Hiway 55 at that, to get there. At the moment there is no shorter way to get from one part of town to the other, but there has been talk for years of acquiring a bikepath-wide swath of land at the headwaters of Whittaker Creek to link Oriental’s older village with White Farm Road.)

The smallest bike in the town-wide ride belonged to Bora Staub, who plowed ahead thru the tough gravel for a group photo at Deaton’s Boat Yard Thanksgiving .

In other cycling news, some state money has been set aside for bike trails in a several county area, including Pamlico. One already-existing county transportation plan has included bike trails in the shoulder of the road going to the Minnesott ferry and that could conceivably be financed through the state grant. Whether Oriental could ask for some funding to make the Whittaker Creek headwaters trail materialize is not clear.

Cycling on Midyette Street on Thanksgiving morning.

As well attended as the Thankgiving morning ride was, many more bicycles will be in Oriental in April, when CycleNC comes to town for a weekend. More than a thousand cyclists are expected, using the town as a base as they pedal the roads of Pamlico County.

More photos of the Thanksgiving Day ride on the pages ahead.

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Just before the start in front of the Bean.

Julia Tingle and others await the start of the ride. It began and ended on Hodges Street between the Bean and the Oriental Town Dock.

Candace Young.

The small wheel base of a folding bike is challenge enough. A flat tire ups the ante.

Charlie Garrett waves the Bean flag, signalling the start of the otherwise low-key ride.

And … they’re off.

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Catching up to the pack on South Avenue. A cyclist passes Neuse Street where it extends to the Neuse River.

At Deatons, Sarah Kenney at left, and at right, Dan Steiger and his dog, Turbo.

Turbo gets a calming touch before the ride.

Ben Reese and his dogs, prepped for wind and cold.

Not all dogs rode in baskets. Jack, a Pamlico Pointer, led the way. At the Bean he was promised a MilkBone when he reached the Deaton Boat Yard. He ran the entire route.

Some more of the lineup at Deatons’ yard.

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Zack Evens passes Triton Yachts. On a dare from his family, he wore the red full body stocking. He could see through it to ride the bike.

Cleve Cox, president of Pamlico Community College, on the back stretch down Midyette Street.

George Wisnesky after crossing 55 to Midyette Street.

Gabriel Huff on Midyette Street.

Ken Small.

At the SailCraft yard.

Posted Friday November 26, 2010 by Melinda Penkava