Seeking GOBA Volunteers
As you know, your fearless (certainly not peerless) president, Slowpoke Sheppard, has been investigating the idea of BBC hosting free bicycle rentals on Blennerhassett Island during the day that GOBA is in Marietta this June. GOBA is the Great Ohio Bicycle Adventure, an annual week-long bicycling and camping event which is making its first visit to southeastern Ohio in several years. An organization called OTT (Ohio Travel Treasures, LLC), puts together day trips for the bicyclists and other GOBA folks on the days when there is a lay-over. On lay-over days, there is usually an optional ride for the hardcore cyclists. The more intelligent ones take the day off to relax!
OTT is selling a bus and sternwheeler trip to Blennerhassett Island, Fort Boreman Park, and Fenton Glass on June 22 ONLY. We have already confirmed that the Island will be renting bikes this summer. These bikes are usually one-speed clunkers which are ideal for the abuse that renters give them and for the gentle rock and gravel path around the Island.
As a way of entertaining the cyclists who may visit the Island and to give them a free opportunity to add another state (WV) to their list of “State’s I’ve Biked In,” I thought we’d pay for the rentals for those folks who are wearing an official GOBA wristband. This distinctive wristband cannot be removed by the rider without destroying it. It gives GOBA riders entrée to all sorts of GOBA services during the week.
It’s possible that other GOBA folks will also visit the Island on June 22 without booking the day-trip with OTT. These folks could come by private car from Marietta if they wanted to.
The Island, GOBA and OTT all appear to be OK on the free bike-rental concept. Now the question is: who will keep track of how many GOBA riders take advantage of this, so we can have an accurate figure for how much the rentals will cost us? Slowpoke plans on torturing himself on the off-day ride on June 22. It’s possible that the person doing the renting could keep track of this, but it would nice to have a BBC rep there for part of the day (particularly while the OTT participants are there) to welcome the riders, confirm that they are with GOBA, and perhaps give them some printed material on (the dangers and pleasures of) biking in West Virginia.
All of which is a roundabout way of saying: I NEED A VOLUNTEER…OR TWO…TO GIVE UP A FEW HOURS OF THEIR DAY ON June 22, to spend on Blennerhassett Island. BBC (or Slowpoke) would pay for your trip to and from the Island which is done on the sternwheelers that depart from Civitan Park in Belpre. (Hopefully, they will return to Parkersburg’s Point Park in the summer of 2011…)
This concept has NOT gotten the financial blessing of BBC and I do not intend to spend BBC money without getting official approval. For now, I intend to fund this out of my pocket so that when it is over, I can come to BBC and see if the group would like to help. If not, it will still be fun (I hope!)
If you’re interested in volunteering please contact Slowpoke at gm@wtap.com or at 304-481-8110.
