It may be more than a month away but city and tourism officials are laying the groundwork for a flood of cyclists to hit Washington for the Easter Seals UCP’s Ride Without Limits Oct. 4 through Oct. 6.
It’s all about logistics, according to Washington Tourism Authority Director Lynn Lewis. While the Ride Without Limits volunteers are out drumming up financial support for the event and its riders, in Washington, they’re figuring out permitting, where to set things up, housing options and more to accommodate over 500 people: cyclists, support teams, friends and family.
“People will be camping on the waterfront, but we aren’t expecting the same numbers as Cycle NC. It won’t be a tent city, per se,” Lewis laughed.
Instead, riders and their teams will be packing hotels, campgrounds and the Civic Center for their weekend stay.
Beaufort County is becoming well known on the cycling circuit for its landscape of scenic, rural rides, as well as its picturesque, quaint towns — so much so that when Ride Without Limits organizers were searching for a new place to host the ride, Washington was recommended over and over again, according to Lewis. One meeting last winter with organizers and Lewis sealed the deal to bring the event to Washington.
“I know that their registration is already higher now than their total registration was for the event last year,” Lewis said. “So I think their move to Washington was a good move for many reasons.”
Until that first weekend in October, Lewis will be working with local organizations to assemble welcome information and a schedule of what to do and where to do it in Washington, as well as encouraging Washington residents to join the celebration.
“One thing the organization really wants is for this to become a community event,” Lewis explained. “They want the town to become involved and help celebrate the rides.”
Ride Without Limits is an established charity cycling event benefitting Easter Seals UCP North Carolina & Virginia. More importantly, it directly benefits individuals in the local community, providing services for children and adults managing disabilities. According to the ride’s web page, the 2013 fundraising goal is $250,000; $83,173 has been raised so far.
For information about sponsorship opportunities, contact Easter Seals UCP Special Events Director Patrick Curran at patrick.curran@eastersealsucp.com.