FAMILY FITNESS CHALLENGE
Gov. Mark Sanford is ready to hop back on his bike, and he wants
others to join him on the road again.
Trying to prompt S.C. residents to exercise more, Sanford pedaled
from Spartanburg to Charleston over three weekends in 2004. This
year, the governor diversified his Family Fitness Challenge with
white-water rafting on the Chattooga and paddling in Sparkleberry
Swamp.
Sanford plans to return to the bike saddle for a 59.7-mile ride
from Aiken to Columbia on Oct. 9. Everyone who completes the ride
gets a free lunch at the Governor’s Mansion.
“This is just one more way we hope to encourage people to be a
bit more active in their day-to-day lives, which will go a long way
toward improving our health and overall quality of life as
individual South Carolinians,” Sanford said.
Don’t expect barbecue or fried chicken at the Governor’s Mansion.
Sanford spokesman Joel Sawyer would only say that the meal will be a
healthy one.
For avid road cyclists, the 59.7-mile trip should be an easy
ride, said John Green, owner of Cycle Center. It might be too long
for road cycling novices or children, but participants who can keep
up with the extended main pack will have the advantage of a police
escort. That means they won’t have to worry about 18-wheelers
zooming a few feet away from them.
Hundreds of people participated in the ride last year, and there
was only one minor injury when a rider fell crossing some railroad
tracks.
Water and snacks will be provided at several checkpoints along
the way. The governor’s office asks participants to register at http://www.scgovernor.com/ to
help plan for the provisions. But if the weather’s nice and you
decide at the last moment to try the ride, you can just show up.
The governor plans to take off from the Newberry Street Festival
Center in downtown Aiken at 9 a.m. after an outdoor prayer session.
The ride will follow S.C. 302 most of the way, with stops at Wagener
Town Hall and Edmund RV Park near Edmund.
(Note to drivers: You might encounter some backups on S.C. 302
that morning as the pack passes through.)
Participants will be responsible for their own transportation
back to the start. If you can’t make the whole trip, you could leave
a vehicle or arrange for someone to pick you up at one of the two
rest stops. Just don’t try to claim a free lunch if you only pedal
part of the way.
Reach Holleman at (803) 771-8366 or jholleman@thestate.com.
GOVERNOR’S BIKE RIDE
Gov. Mark Sanford’s latest Family Fitness Challenge is a bike
ride:
• Where: From Aiken to
Columbia, mostly along U.S. 302
• When: Oct. 9, starting at
9 a.m.
• Distance: 59.7 miles
• For information: http://www.scgovernor.com/
