2021 Tour de Kingston Bike Tour Announces Date Change and First “Gold Sponsor” !
Everyone’s favorite bike event is returning to the Hudson Valley this Fall to get us moving and back in high spirits- the Tour de Kingston and Ulster! This great cycling event is back this year with a newly rescheduled date, September 12th, and is pleased to announce that their first Gold Sponsor, O’Connor & Partners, PLLC, has stepped
The Tour’s first Gold Sponsor
forward to sponsor this marquis event that is now in its 16th year. O’Connor & Partners, PLLC has a history of representing cyclists, and many partners in this firm are avid cyclists themselves so it was a natural fit to support and give back to this community, described Attorney Joseph O’Connor while discussing this year’s sponsorship. Additionally, O’Connor & Partners, PLLC donates rechargeable bicycle lights to area bike shops and organizations throughout the year for distribution to local cyclists to help keep everyone safe.
“Our 2020 Tour had to be conducted virtually, but we are very hopeful that scheduling the event for the fall will make it possible to safely resume the six different bike rides that comprise the Tour de Kingston and Ulster,” Tom Polk added, who is the bicycle educator at the YMCA of Kingston and Ulster County and coordinator of the event.
Heading off to one of the more challenging but non-competitive Tour de Kingston rides.
Tour founder Allen Nace, who started the Tour de Kingston after riding in the Tour de Bronx and other community cycling events, said, “I wanted to get my friends and family out riding and knew that Ulster County had the potential to be a great biking destination, and it will be great to see us back on the roads and trails in September.”
All Tour de Kingston rides start and finish at the Forsyth Park Pavilion in historic Uptown Kingston. The rides start from 8:30 to 11 a.m. Register online at https://www.bikereg.com/tdk21 . Discount registration, available through September 5th, is $40 for adults and $10 for youth under age 18. After that date, registration is $50 for adults but remains $10 for youth. The five-mile Family Fun Ride is free of charge, but registration is suggested.
Proceeds from the Tour support community bike repair, safety education for youth and the Tour De Kingston Community Scholarships. “Our scholarships are open to anyone seeking to further their education with a commitment to serve the residents of Ulster County,” Polk said. Applications are available by contacting Polk at the YMCA tpolk@ymcaulster.org
Family Fun ride returns to Forsyth Park for the post-ride picnic.
The Tour’s Free Family Fun Ride is a flat, five-mile course that starts at 11 a.m. and travels through Uptown and Midtown Kingston. Riders are escorted by volunteer Ride Marshals and the Kingston Police Department. “And we make a rest stop at the Fireman’s Museum, which is a big hit with the kids,” Nace said. Riders will also visit the YMCA for a water break.
The Hurley Rail Trail is the centerpiece of the Road and Trail Rides, which start at 10 a.m. and offer beginning and intermediate riders distances of 8 to 16 miles on roads and the flat, paved Hurley trail.
Starting at 9 a.m. are the ever-popular 25- and 50-mile road rides for intermediate and experienced riders.
The mostly off-road Gravel Grinder Ride, suitable only for the most experienced riders, will start at 8:30 a.m. The route features dirt roads, rail trails and some pavement riding with challenging terrain and lots of hills.
Riders on Lucas Ave. off to one of the road courses.
Event registration fees include a hamburger and hot dog barbecue lunch, a raffle ticket, a ride map, rest stops and mechanical support.
About the YMCA of Kingston and Ulster County:
The YMCA of Kingston and Ulster County is an open, interfaith movement that advocates Christian principles through programs that build character, respond to community needs, and help build spirit, mind and body for all.
Kingston Happening’s Gallery From 2019
