


Photo: Derek Redd Cyclists set off on the 50 kilometer Heritage Trail Bicycle Tour on Sunday morning.

WHEELING – The 16th annual Wheeling Heritage Trail Bike Tour is back as a Sunday morning occasion of the Ogden Wellness Weekend presented by VVU Medicine. Tour director Jim Adams mentioned a lot more cyclists are taking up the challenge.
“There are 3 events that occur,” Adams mentioned. “We’re undertaking a one hundred,000, 50,000 and 15,000 rides that take spot on the Sunday morning just before the Difficult as Nails occasion,” he mentioned. “We have about 240 drivers right here this morning for the ride, and about one hundred of them are undertaking the 100K.” It is the largest occasion.”
Adams mentioned the one hundred,000 ride begins at Wheeling’s WesBanco Arena to Elm Grove and back to the arena, then north to Bethany College, then back to the arena once more.
“The 50K, they just ride especially on the Heritage Trail all the way to the Beach Bottom region,” Adams mentioned. “The 15K is just a brief drive to South Wheeling and back.
“It’s a tour, it really is not a race,” he continued, “just an chance for people today to ride their bikes, and surely a exciting aspect of the Ogden Wellness Weekend. If they are not runners, or a person who feels like they can tackle the Difficult as Nails obstacles, a lot of people today delight in just riding a bike.”
Adams mentioned that becoming “sandwiched” in between the Ogden Newspapers Half Marathon Classic Saturday and the Difficult as Nails Urban Challenge presented at Overall health Program Sunday proves the appeal of cyclists and positive aspects in escalating the quantity of events in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“These had been really very good numbers. “It really is not the largest quantity,” he mentioned. “It really is increasing once more, we’re post-Covid,” he mentioned. “We count on this occasion to develop just about every year.” … Sunday morning is the best time to go on a bike tour and people today look to genuinely delight in it.”
Adams mentioned they welcomed old and new faces.
“We had a lot of people today come from out of town,” he mentioned. “This is multi-generational.” We see little ones participating in the 15K, and we have 80-year-olds riding their bikes as nicely. Any age can come and participate.
Amongst the cyclists are Art and Jackie Burnside of North Wheeling. They had been amongst 50,000 cyclists.
“A lot of people today who participate in weekend events, they are standard multi-sport people today, so this provides them an chance,” mentioned Art Burnside, who runs a bike repair shop, adding that he’s been cycling considering the fact that the 1990s. “It really is a strain reliever.”
One more cyclist is Mike Smith, councilor of St. Clairsville and CPA. He was a participant in half marathons, but switched to cycling when his knees began to bother him. He completed the 50K occasion, but has previously challenged himself with the 100K.
Smith mentioned the tour’s return to Wellness Weekend is a way to fuel development.
“A lot of people today have to get out and physical exercise,” he mentioned.
“You could not ask for a improved weekend.” The climate is lovely. “There is no wind for cycling, since you never want to ride into a headwind,” he mentioned. “As for cycling, really nicely organized.” … I do it just about every year, it really is really nicely run, initial class.”
Pittsburgh’s Tom Plappert completed the 100K tour. He mentioned he cycles about 12,000 miles a year and has been touring his bike for about ten years.
“It appears to have recovered.” There had been rather a couple of riders this year. “It seemed like a very good response,” he mentioned.
“I consider it really is a very good notion,” he added. “It is vital for overall health causes. … I only located out currently that there had been other activities in addition to driving. It really is fantastic, there are a lot of people today. … I am in no rush to leave.”
Plappert also praised the venue.
“It really is fantastic right here, I enjoy coming to Wheeling. I usually delight in the beach. … I’ve usually been a rider, and I enjoy coming to West Virginia to ride,” he mentioned. “Good and hilly, it really is exciting.”





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