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OUTDOORS >> TOUR DE FELASCO
PEDAL POWER
Tour de Felasco Biking Through San Felasco Hammock State Park W RIT TE N BY MEG H A N M A NG RUM
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ome have been coming for years. Some may be riding these trails for the first time. But rain or shine, over 500 mountain bicyclists will ride 50 miles together on January 9, 2016 through the San Felasco Hammock Preserve State Park. In its 14th straight year, the Tour de Felasco is not a race — it’s an endurance ride, according to almost any of its organizers. The event serves as a fundraiser for the park and for the Friends of San Felasco Citizens Support Organization, which coordinates the event. The Tour de Felasco has grown from a handful of riders in 2002 to an annual event that attracts people from across the state and the country, said Michael Kelley, board member and former president
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OUR TOWN MAGAZINE
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016
of the Friends of San Felasco. “The bike trails out here are becoming a destination spot,” said Kelley, who spends time at the park several times a week, both riding and maintaining the trails. The park offers over 30 miles of mountain bike trails, all of which will be utilized for the Tour De Felasco event. Frequent visitors to the park and event participants have discovered that they don’t need to travel to the mountains to experience a challenging, unique trail system. The race route includes the park’s hiking and horse trails, which are typically off-limits to bike riders. This allows for a change in scenery, especially for those who have participated in the event each year. Riders will experience varying terrain as they travel through the park. Rolling hills, climbs and PHOTOGRAPHY: STEVE AUER