eCache

Biking with a purpose

August 2nd, 2008 | Posted in » GPS Games, New Jersey, TerraCaching

39.361133 -75.07045

I added a bike race to the calendar almost two years ago to complete this hunt. I never made it to the event. A friend rode in a bike race a year ago and I missed that too. I added yet another for September and have been talking myself up for going to it. It’s an hour away so that takes some doing.

Then I stumbled upon a race much more convenient to me. Technically it’s within walking distance, but I gladly burned the fossil fuel to get there today.

I awoke late . . . so late I missed the start of the race. I thought I would be able to catch up with them, however.

We have a new motorsports park near me. This is where the race commenced. It is so huge in there, I became lost. I ended up at the F1 track instead of the other track. Silly me. The weather had been so bad this morning everything was delayed. I watched the runners go first. The bikes seemed to commence at the same time, but from an area I couldn’t get to. They raced around the track once before exiting the park onto the county roads.

It was difficult snapping pictures in the rain, behind cars, in-between port-a-johns. I opened the sun roof and stuck my camera out that way but didn’t get much that way. We were all halted as the bicyclists left the park.

Once we all got on the road, I snapped a couple blurry shots as I passed a few of the trailing bikes. I decided not to chase up Dividing Creek Road but rather return home.

The only banner I found was at the registration table. For some reason it had information about a ride later this month in Philly. The motorsports park is new (like a couple weeks old). They only had two events here so far and I suspect things were not as well planned as they will be next year. Indeed the event took place today. The proceeds of the race, which also included a run, will be split between Lance Armstrong’s Livestrong Foundation and the South Jersey Healthcare Foundation.