Bike race continued om page 3 one of its best days of the year. After closing Main Street for events several times last year, the trustees decided to limit closures this year so the Valley Cruisers took their car show to Glenwood Springs. “It’s a disappointment not to have the car show,� Graetz said. “People were out and about.� All four business owners said they don’t have anything against bike races and didn’t want to sound negative, “but we need something that works for everybody,� Burkmier said. If the race didn’t work for some businesses, it did for others. Carol Bruno, at Peppino’s pizza at the west end of Main Street, said the races probably helped her business on Saturday.“It was pretty decent. We had a lot of racers,� she said. Bruno said attendance grew later in the day when the professional racers competed. Last Saturday, Carbondale was also up against Strawberry Days in Glenwood and the Aspen Food & Wine Classic. “Carbondale is usually dead on those days,� she said, “so we (the town’s events committee) thought if a bike race were held downtown, maybe it would bring people in.� The Days Inn at the entrance to town on Highway 133 also benefited from the races. “We got our fair share (of racers),� said co-owner Michael Miernicki. “They are a nice bunch.� Harrison stressed that the races are not a chamber event, although it is involved, and downtown businesses voted to hold the bike
race again this year. “It (the race) wasn’t a negative thing for the community, it was a positive thing,� she said. As for next year, some business owners who were adversely affected by the race in-
dicated they aren’t anxious to see it return. Graetz said she plans to express her concerns in the days to come. “We’ll be talking to the town trustees and the chamber ‌ what were they thinking?â€?
(Editor’s note: Carbondale Recreation Director Jeff Jackel, who was the town’s liaison to the race, was not available for comment for this story).
Here’s a race view from next to a bar stool in the Pour House last Saturday. Several downtown businesses report the race not only didn’t help attract customers, it actually hurt. Photo by Lynn Burton
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