Two Dozen Brave the Elements on First Day

At the Start of their Journey

The annual Lamar Recreation Department hosted 24 hearty souls for the January 1^st Polar Bear Pedal, a combination Bike-ride/Walk to commemorate the New Year.  It was 14 degrees and somewhat breezy and the day was still cold from the end-of-the-year snowfall that graced portions of Prowers County on the final night of 2018 just hours earlier.

Jerry Roseberry and Rick Akers from the Lamar Rec Department, got the participants signed up, giving up part of their holiday as the Community Building is still officially closed on the 1^st.  For those who made the journey, there would be hot chili after their sojourn and a tee shirt to be handed out later in memory of the day.

Those who walked chose a previous footpath, from the community building, up to 14^th Street and then a southerly route up to the Lamar High School and back.  Bike riders, fewer in numbers, could follow the same course and then, if they wanted, a longer route along Highway 50.  The road was clearer of snow towards the west.

“We had about the same sized turn-out last year, perhaps a few more this year,” said Akers as he provided a quick estimate of the attendance. Details are still being formulated at this point for more riders to come to southeast Colorado.  The annual ‘Pedal the Plains’ event is set for September this year and southeast Colorado will host close to 1,000 persons who will make the three day visit and annual ride to Holly, Lamar and Springfield.

By Russ Baldwin