Big Smiles and Hugely Successful 2024 Sustain Charlotte Biketoberfest

Great fun last weekend helping the Sustain Charlotte team set the course and keep riders on the right track during a hugely successful 2024 10th Annual Biketoberfest.

 

 

As laid out extraordinarily precisely by Google's AI (artificial intelligence) - with yellow highlights included, "The purpose of Charlotte Biketoberfest is to encourage people to explore the city of Charlotte without driving by participating in a family-friendly scavenger hunt where they can walk, run, or bike to different locations, all while raising funds for Sustain Charlotte, an organization focused on building a healthier community through sustainable practices; essentially, it's a fun way to promote alternative transportation options and raise awareness about sustainability in Charlotte." 

 

Last year, as a new BikeWalkNC board member, I helped AARP stamp rider scavenger hunt passports and then rode the course for the fun of riding in downtown Charlotte on a brilliant October Sunday afternoon. Along the way, though, I went off course more than a few times because I couldn't see the course direction signs due to size and placement and also came across quite a few frustrated riders who'd had the same problem.

 

When I got back to triple c brewing, the start and finish of the ride, I mentioned those problems to Sustain Charlotte ride organizers and offered to help set the course this year.

 

 

Above is a map of this year's course, about twice as long as last year's route, that ran along downtown streets, residential neighborhoods and on sections of greenway trails. Eric Zaverl and his team at Sustain Charlotte made signs that were much more visible, as shown below, and we did our best to place them so that riders could see them clearly.  

 

 

Then last Sunday, the day of the ride, a group of volunteers, including 3 enthusiastic University of North Carolina, Charlotte, Snowboard Team racers who joined me, fanned out to help riders get through tricky intersections like the one below with multiple turns in a tight space and a light rail track crossing.

 

  

Except for some riders who chose to take the course in reverse order, not as the course was designed this year, there were no complaints about anyone getting lost on the route, and I attribute that success entirely to Eric and his team at Sustain Charlotte with a well laid out route and sharp attention to detail. Best of all, and the real exclamation point on the whole event, was seeing so many smiles on people, mostly on bikes but also on foot: 614 total, of which about 100 were under the age of 18.

 

Great job, lots of fun, and congratulations putting together such a successful event, Sustain Charlotte! Look forward to being with you again next year!