Assault On The Carolinas 2014

Page 1

The Transylvania Times • Monday, March 31, 2014 • Assault on the Carolinas 1C

Assault On The Carolinas Celebrates Its 15th Year

Presented by Pisgah Forest Rotary Riders begin the Assault of the Carolinas in downtown Brevard. (Photo by Michael Rogers)

Race Has Grown From 48 To 1,000 Riders The ride on Saturday, April 12, leaving from downtown Brevard will be the 15th annual Assault on the Carolinas. A lot has changed in the years since the Rotary Club of Pisgah Forest decided to hold a bike ride rather than sell tickets to a pancake breakfast. Tom Whitesel is a long time member of the club, now traveling the country with his wife Ellen. According to Whitesel, the pancake breakfast wasn’t working for the club. He was looking for a fundraiser that was a daylong event and didn’t require individual members to sell or buy tickets. “The goal was 100 riders for the first event on April Fool’s Day in 2000, but the week before we only had 14 advance registrations. I was very nervous the morning of the ride. We ended up with 48 riders that day and we’ve never looked back,” he said. Jay Coan, another member of the Club, has been involved in the ride since the early years. To get the word out, fliers were sent to bike shops and clubs within a 250 mile radius of Brevard. Coan stated that when online registration was added in 2004, the ride increased from 100 to 450 riders. Although the ride is still only a one day event, something that has changed is the preparation and work required. John Buford is a past President of the Rotary Club of Pisgah Forest. “The Assault or AOTC as we call it, takes a tremendous amount of work from our members, sponsors and volunteers before, during and after the event. We have well over 1,200 folks with visitors, spouses and friends who accompany the riders to Brevard. Our community really shines

during AOTC weekend and welcomes everyone,” he said. It’s great to see the response from the community during the last few years when we’ve started and ended the race from downtown Brevard.”

Schedule of Events April 11 2:30pm Carmichael Training Systems (CTS) Doors open for riders and visitors Riders can enter $1 raffle for CTS Camp entry ($200 value) 3:30pm -5pm Above Quotations Coffee Shop Early check-in, T-shirt pickup and registration. April 12 7am8:30am Water Oaks Suites Check-in, T-shirt pickup and registration 8:50am 9am 9:03am 9:06am

Ride announcements/rider lineup Team and 100 K ride start 60K ride start 40K ridge start

3pm Drawing and end of ride celebration 1:30pm-3pm Live music

When asked about the vision for Assault on the Carolinas and the tremendous growth, both Whitesel and Coan agree that the event had opportunity to grow larger. Moving from the high school to downtown back in 2011 was another significant change. With the move downtown came an increase in riders and the event grew to include music, food, and a beverage tent. Coan says, “I was going to other rides in the Southeast and knew we had better roads and that we could have a great event, we just had to do it. It could grow even larger, but 1,000 is a great number to provide and host a quality event. Bigger is not always better.” Although it’s a fun and signature event for riders and the community, Buford stresses that Rotary is first a service organization. “The Assault on the Carolinas is a fundraiser that provides funds to allow our Club to make a difference in the community. Through our Grant Committee, we give back to the programs that make Transylvania County a special place to live and work,” he said. Over the years, there have been many great stories and photographs to accompany the Assault. One year over 100 riders visited from Charleston. Each year there’s a large contingent from Canada who enjoy the ride and this region of the country. A few years ago horses got loose and ran alongside the riders. There’s yet to be a photo seen - although many were buzzing about it the day of the ride and the story remains a favorite. At least one rider, Wes Dickson of Sycamore Cycles has ridden in all of the Assaults on the Carolinas; this year will be his 15th. “It is amazing to look back and see where we started and how it's turned into one of the premier cycling events in the Southeast over the last 14 years,” said Whitesel. “The best thing is that the club members still don't have to sell or buy tickets for a pancake breakfast.”

Photo courtesy of Chuck Gilmore.

2C

The Transylvania Times • Monday, March 31, 2014 • Assault on the Carolinas

Assault on the Carolinas 2013 rider.

Assault on the Carolinas 100K map. (Photo courtesy of Google Maps)

Assault on the Carolinas 100K map. (Photo Garmin Maps/Nokia))

Participants stop downtown to eat and visit with other riders.

Assault On The Carolinas - 100 K Ride 100 K Ride – [red / orange arrows]

100 K Ride – [red / orange arrows]

Mile

Location

Mile

Direction

Location

Main Street (Water Oak Suites) Oaklawn Avenue Probart Street Cashiers Valley Road Rosman Highway (stop sign) Illahee Road Country Club Road (stop sign) South Country Club Road Island Ford Road Walnut Hollow Road Rest Stop #1 at corner of Walnut Hollow Road and Hannah Ford Road (food, drinks, rest room) East Fork Road Middlefork Road Highway 178 – Pickens Highway Across SC 11/Mobil Gas Station on left – rest rooms Rest Stop #2 Holly Springs Baptist Church on left (closes at noon) [food, drinks and rest room]

30.35 36.62 40.32 40.47 40.92 42.25

L L R

42.26 48.79

L

SC 288-Moorefield Memorial Highway SC 8-Pumpkintown Highway (4 way stop sign) SC 8 & SC 11 (stop sign) Exxon gas station SC 8 – Caesar’s Head Highway Rest Stop #3 Intersection of 276 & Hwy 8 (closes at 1:30PM) (food, drinks and rest room) Route 276 (stop sign) Caesar’s Head State Park on left [public rest rooms and water] Rest Stop #4 Cedar Mountain Community Center (closes at 3:00PM) [food, drinks, rest rooms] Barclay Road turns into Country Club Road Gallimore Road Hwy 276 Finish Water Oak Suites Main Street

0 .36 .42 2.14 3.95 4.05 5.14 5.30 6.96 7.84 8.30 11.16 14.53 15.65 30.10 30.35

Direction

R L R L R R R L R

R L L

L

53.19 61.00 62.81 64.10 64.25 65.60

L R L

# # # # # #

Offering Yoga Classes 7 Days A Week Including: • Yoga for Beginners • Gentle Flow Yoga • Multi-Level Flow Yoga • Energetic Flow Yoga • Pilates Mat • Yin Yoga g • Hot Flow Yoga • P rivate L essons, aand nd a FREE FREE Private Lessons, C ommunity Yoga Yog o a Class Thursdaays! Class on Thursdays! Community

&''()*''()*''()++ ,-./+0-./+1-.+233+456+789&++ # $%&'#()#*++#,-./#.0-#1%)2.1#3.#,%)2###### # ###### .03#14(3#5.0-#2%6&.0)3#1%77#8*9## # :-./#;<-%7#=#0)3%7#;<-%7#>?#(77## # ## <0-&4(6*6#.@*-#A>B#C0(7%,5#### ,.-#(#:;<=>+45+*''?#2%6&.0)3# # # # #

0+@*(A+74<5+BAC**A+ + + + DC*E4C6/+FG+ + + + H0HIHJJI1K1-++

V Visit isit o our ur W Website ebsite ule tto o View View our our Spring Spring Schedule Schedu

White Squirrel Shoppe

#

# 111914%3*6C0%--*764.<<*9&./## # D<*)#E#2(56#(#1**'##

:.77.1#06#.)#:(&*8..'# # # #

The Transylvania Times • Monday, March 31, 2014 • Assault on the Carolinas

3C

Assault On The Carolinas Volunteers

Donna Morgan-Kelly (second from right) at registration table. (Photo by Chuck Gilmore). by Chuck Gilmore Rotary is all about volunteering to do good things in our local communities, country and the world. But when it comes to the members of the Pisgah Forest Rotary Club, there is no such thing as a volunteer during AOTC weekend. Instead it is “all hands on deck!� This is the club event of the year. It is the perfect opportunity for us all to live the Rotary motto of “Service Above Self�; and we are doing it for the good of our community. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that we all love the event! The amazing thing is that as the event has grown so many in our community have embraced its benefits. They see the boost to the local economy that generates tens of thousands of dollars for our businesses as well as the tens of thousands that are generated for the club’s charitable outreach. As a consequence we are blessed with so many non-Rotarian volunteers that our own work load is greatly reduced. (The most beautiful part of the economic equation is that 90 percent of 1,000 riders, along with their families and the money spent, come from outside of our county – this year from 30 states, Canada and Puerto Rico!) Often the out-of-club volunteers come from local businesses like Carmichael Training and Wes Dickson’s Sycamore Cycles. Obviously they realize a direct boost in business from the event and wish to do anything they can to make it successful. But they are so generous with their time and sponsorships the ride benefit is beyond measure and it wouldn’t be nearly as successful without them. Other organizations, like the Brevard College cycling team and the Pisgah Cycling Club, help out solely for altruistic reasons. Ray Adams is the event volunteer coordinator for the Pisgah Cycling Club. They supply 4-8 volunteers to staff a rest stop. When asked why, Adams responded, "By staffing a rest stop along the route of the AOTC, we are able to bring Pisgah Cycling's volunteers into direct contact with the cyclists riding in the event,

many of whom are experiencing our area from outof-town. This contact gives us an opportunity to show these cyclists how important they are to our community here in Brevard, and to share our appreciation of their supporting such a good cause." Volunteers help in all of the necessary functions including registration, setup, traffic direction, reststops, SAG vehicles, and many more. The Land of Waterfalls Camera Club supplies volunteer photographers who spread out across the course to document the event, showing it off to the community and for use in future promotions. One of our local school principals has turned what was originally a request for help from students into a fun learning experience for students. Each cyclist in the ride is given a “goody bag� with discount coupons and advertising handouts (pens, etc.) from local businesses and ride sponsors. In the past our club spent hours assembling and stuffing the items into the bags. Rotarian Donna Wilde, principal at Davidson River School, encouraged a group of students to do the work as community service – and then the learning fun began. Laura Smith, a teacher at the school, decided the effort could be made into a great real-life example for her business class. She turned the project into a lesson on assembly lines, timemotion studies and optimization of process. The result - a community service project was converted to a lesson that is instructive, fun, and produces 1,000 ready to hand out goody bags. Not only is that a greatly appreciated service to our club and, ultimately the community, but it clearly shows the ingenuity and dedication of our school system’s teachers and administrators! Occasionally a brand new Rotarian joins the club just in time for the “all hands on deck� drill. Donna Morgan-Kelly was one such two years ago. The Brevard Brian Center administrator had been a club member for one month when she found herself sitting behind a registration desk staring at the faces of 1,000 riders all

Hannah Denier waiting for a T-shirt.

seeking their credentials. Donna confided that she didn’t know what to expect but was, “Amazed at how well run and orchestrated the event turned out to be.�

The results of the club’s efforts could be seen in the attitude of the riders – laughter, smiles and camaraderie filled the room. Of course, as always in such a

big event there are small glitches that must be addressed. When one occurred a club member or volunteer had to be ready to address it – and they always were. Later Donna was surprised to find that in the club’s post-ride evaluation she had the opportunity to express her thoughts and ideas about how to avoid such glitches at next year’s ride. She was even more surprised to find that the club interviews riders at the post-ride lunch and party to get their input in real time. “It is no wonder that, over time, the 1,000 available ride slots completely fill long before the day of the event,� she said. Perhaps it was the fear of the unknown, or just a wish to share a motherdaughter experience, but Donna also brought her, then, 18-year -old daughter, Hannah, to help out. Hannah filled her time at registration by retrieving the proper sized souvenir T-shirts as the riders made

their requests known to the registrars. She was reported to also be favorably impressed by the event’s organization. Those impressions at registration made it easy for both ladies to stay and help with the food service at the afterride party. Donna went on to say that in the two years since becoming a Rotarian she is especially fascinated with the organization of Rotary International and the Pisgah Forest club. As a professional manager she is well aware of how difficult it is to extract such good performance from paid staff, let alone a group of volunteers. Perhaps it is the dedication of members wishing to do what they can to improve the condition of the world that makes them all pull in the same direction. Regardless of the reasons, it is a great event that does wonderful things for Transylvania County - that makes it all worthwhile!

4C

The Transylvania Times • Monday, March 31, 2014 • Assault on the Carolinas

AOTC 60K map. (Photo courtesy of Garmin Maps/Nokia)

AOTC 60K map (Photo courtesy of Google Maps)

Assault On The Carolinas - 60 K Ride 60K Ride – [blue arrows]

60K Ride – [blue arrows]

Mile

Location

Mile

Direction

Location

Main Street Water Oak Suites Oaklawn Avenue Probart Street Cashiers Valley Road Rosman Highway (stop sign) Illahee Road Country Club Road (stop sign) South Country Club Road Island Ford Road Walnut Hollow Road Rest Stop #1 at corner of Walnut Hollow Road and Hannah Ford Road (food, drinks and rest room) East Fork Road Middlefork Road Highway 178 – Pickens Highway Main Street in Rosman (traffic light)

17.72 19.75 20.81 22.99 23.20 24.23 25.65

R R R R R L

25.65 26.13 28.18 29.27 +/-31.07 32.38 33.22 33.88

L R L L

Highway 178 – Pickens Highway (stop sign) Calvert Road Whitmire Road Rosman Highway (T intersection, stop sign) Green Road Hannah Ford Road (stop sign) Rest Stop #2 (same as #1) at Walnut Hollow Rd and Hannah Ford Rd (food, drinks and rest room) Walnut Hollow Road (stop sign) Island Ford Road (stop sign) Greenville Highway (stop sign) Barclay Road turns into Country Club Road Gallimore Road Highway 276 Finish Water Oak Suites, E. Main Street

Direction

0 .36 .42 2.19 3.95 4.05 5.14 5.30 6.96 7.89 8.3

R L R L R R R L R

11.16 14.53 15.65 17.48

R L R L

AOTC 40K map. (Photo courtesy of Garmin Maps/Nokia)

R L

AOTC 40K map (Photo courtesy of Google Maps)

Assault On The Carolinas - 40 K Ride 40 K Ride – [green arrows]

40 K Ride – [green arrows]

Mile

Location

Mile

Direction

Location

Main Street (Water Oak Suites) Oaklawn Avenue Probart Street Cashiers Valley Road Rosman Highway (stop sign) Illahee Road Country Club Road (stop sign) South Country Club Road Island Ford Road Walnut Hollow Road Rest Stop #1 at corner of Walnut Hollow Road and Hannah Ford Road (food, drinks and rest room) Hannah Ford Road Calvert Road (T intersection, stop sign)

12.81 14.92 15.12 16.16 17.58

R R R L L

18.06 20.11 21.21 +/-23.05 24.33 25.17 25.83

R L L

Whitmire Road Rosman Highway (T intersection, stop sign) Green Road Hannah Ford Road (stop sign) Walnut Hollow Road (stop sign) Rest Stop #2 (same as #1) at Walnut Hollow Rd and Hannah Ford Rd (food, drinks and rest room) Island Ford Road (stop sign) Greenville Highway (stop sign) Barclay Road turns into Country Club Road Gallimore Road Highway 276 turns into main street Water Oak Suites

0 .36 .42 2.14 3.95 4.05 5.14 5.30 6.96 7.84 8.30 8.30 12.39

Direction

R L R L R R R L R

R R

R L

For updates on The Assault of the Carolinas race, photos and more, visit transylvaniatimes.com

The Transylvania Times • Monday, March 31, 2014 • Assault on the Carolinas

5C

Faces Of The Assault On The Carolinas

Faces of The Assault on the Carolina. (Photos courtesy of Ken Voltz and Rolanda Jefferson.)

6C

The Transylvania Times • Monday, March 31, 2014 • Assault on the Carolinas

Assault photo courtesy of Bob Horstman.

AOTC Vantage Points Looking for a great spot from which to view the race? It will start in Brevard at 9 a.m., and riders typically finish the loop between 11:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. Here are some suggestions of good spots from which to watch the race. The Start One of the best places to see the race is downtown during the start, when one thousand cyclists will ride down Main. Riders will begin at Water Oak Suites on East Main, cross the center of town at Broad Street onto West Main, and turn right on Oakdale as they make their way to Probart Street, heading out of town toward Cashiers Valley Road. It’s a spectacle you won’t soon forget.

Walnut Hollow Starting at about 9:15 a.m., the cyclists will begin heading up the steep grade on Walnut Hollow Road as they make their way toward East Fork Road. As one race organizer says, “It’s a good spot to view people really suffering.� Please keep in mind that you need to get there before the cyclists arrive. If you try to watch the start and then head out to Walnut Hollow, you won’t be able to get around the riders. U.S. 178 Although this section is not as popular a vantage point as Walnut Hollow, U.S. 178 heading out of Rosman provides plenty of opportunities to watch the race go by.

Caesars Head The cyclists will return from South Carolina on U.S. 276, and many people enjoy watching them come back across Caesars Head. If you watch the race start in town in the morning, you can drive to Caesars Head without getting stuck behind the riders, who will be heading down U.S. 178. Barclay and Country Club Roads As the riders return to Brevard, they’ll cut off U.S. 276 onto Barclay and Country Club roads. Anywhere between the turn at Barclay Road and The Brevard Health and Racquet Club will make a great place to watch the riders.

! !

For updates on The Assault of the Carolinas race, photos and more, visit transylvaniatimes.com

The Transylvania Times • Monday, March 31, 2013 • Assault on the Carolinas

7C

Assault of the Carolinas riders begin their ride in downtown Brevard. (Photo courtesy of Alan Hunt)

Generous Local Sponsors Make The Assault On The Carolinas A Tremendous Success Since its inception in 2000 the Assault on the Carolinas (AOTC) bike ride has depended heavily on local sponsors to make it both an unqualified fundraising success, and a tremendous boost to the local economy. Even with the tireless contribution of time by Pisgah Forest Rotary Club volunteers as well as countless volunteers from outside the club, to put on an event of the magnitude that the ride has become, requires significant funding. Each year generous individuals and businesses from our community and the surrounding area step up with sponsorship money to fill this need. This year 34 organizations contributed cash, goods, services, and facilities to make the event possible. These sponsors each have their own reasons for wanting to support the AOTC but in almost every case, at some level, they support the event because of the positive impact that it has on our community. Clay Sykes, Owner of ESG Operations, says, “There are three reasons that we sponsor the Assault on the Carolinas. The first is that the AOTC is all for a good cause, the funds raised go to charities right here in our community. The second, it brings people from all over to Transylvania County to let them see first hand why this community is known as the Cycling Capital Of The South. I know many people, including myself who live here and brought our businesses here after seeing what this area has to offer. The third reason is because it is a lot of fun. I have a lot of friends come in for the event and we have a great time!” This year the event drew five sponsors at the highest level: ➢ ESG Operations, ➢ Gary Daniel Builders ➢ Oskar Blues Brewery ➢ Sycamore Cycles ➢ The Transylvania County Tourism Development Authority These organizations not only make significant contributions of funds, goods, and services, but many also field teams of riders who enjoy the ride. For most of them this is not the first time that they have supported and ridden in the event. “One of the main reasons Oskar Blues selected Brevard as a site for a second brewery is because our sole founder, Dale Katechis, loves to mountain bike,” says Anne FittenGlenn, spokesperson for Oskar Blues Brewery. “This is Oskar Blues’ third year sponsoring the Assault on the Carolinas. One of the things that

Assault on the Carolina race photos by Michael Rogers and Ken Voltz.

La Petite Spa And Wellness

235 Rosman Hwy. 828-883-2238 lapetitespabrevard.com

keeps bringing us back is we really like that all proceeds from the event go to the Pisgah Forest Rotary Club and through them to non-profits and scholarships in Transylvania County. From the community perspective, AOTC is great for everyone—whether you ride a bike or not.” At the next level of sponsorship the Pisgah Forest Rotary Club is extremely grateful for significant support from: Carmichael Training Systems, O.P. Taylor’s, Sylvan Sport, Comporium, The Transylvania Times, The UPS Store, Water Oaks Dental Group, and WSQL Radio. Frank Porter, General Manager for Comporium Brevard, agrees, “Events like this are important to our community. They showcase what is good about Transylvania County, what is worth taking a look at when deciding where to work, play, retire, move your business or raise your family. Comporium feels the business community should support all events and festivals like this as these are positive economic development efforts that involve many hours of volunteer time and organization.” At our “Friends of the AOTC” level of sponsorship, we must also thank, D.D. Bulwinkel’s, Brevard Health and Racquet Club, Meredith Baldridge Insurance, Skratch Labs, Steve Owen & Associates Realty, and Transylvania Regional Hospital. Also helping to sponsor the event with contributions of goods and funds were: AAAAA Outhouse Inc., Blue Ridge Adventures, The Brevard Music Center, First Citizens Bank, Food Matters Market, Joan Van Orman Focused Marketing, Main Street Ltd., the Heart of Brevard, Linwood Homes, the Sunset Motel, Bracken Mountain Bakery and United Community Bank. Each year, as a thousand cyclists roll down Main Street in a splashy display of color and flash, and speed, it is sometimes hard to see past the spectacle to the tremendous good that this event is doing for our community. The AOTC raises $50,000, all funneled into local charities, service organizations, and scholarships; more than $250,000 in immediate economic boost; and a significant long term promotion of our local businesses, restaurants, hotels and natural resources. These benefits and many more are made possible by the generous support of our sponsors. Please take the time to visit these businesses and thank them for their tremendous contributions to our community.

8C

The Transylvania Times • Monday, March 31, 2014 • Assault on the Carolinas

Assault photo courtesy of Pisgah Forest Rotary.

Pisgah Forest Rotary Financial Grants Program The proceeds of each year's Assault on the Carolinas enable the Pisgah Forest Rotary Club to provide financial assistance to numerous charitable and nonprofit organizations in Transylvania County. Annually, our club makes some $15,000 in targeted financial grants to support community needs in three areas – children and youth, education, and health. The total grant money available each year is completely dependent on the success and profitability of the previous year's Assault on the Carolinas, so as the success of the event grows so does our capacity to fund these good causes.

Grant requests are screened to identify those uses which will meet specific needs and have a direct and immediate impact. Among the 2013 recipients of Pisgah Forest Rotary grants, all of which were used within Transylvania County, were: • The Boys & Girls Club of Transylvania County • The Sheriff's Youth Camp • The Dolly Parton Imagination Library • Community College scholarships • The Haven of Transylvania (homeless shelter) • Transylvania Heritage

Museum in-school education program • Arts in Schools • SAFE Transylvania (domestic and sexual abuse response/prevention) • The Rise and Shine Freedom School • The Children's Center • The Rotary Youth Leadership Camp The riders and sponsors of the of the Assault on the Carolinas make our community grants program possible each year, and for that the Pisgah Forest Rotary Club is deeply grateful. They have joined us in applying Rotary's guiding principle of "Service Above Self.”

Assault photo courtesy of Jack Christfield.

Get Your Cowbell To Cheer On The Racers A popular way to support and inspire riders is to ring a cowbell for them as they ride past. Why cowbells? The tradition has origins with snow skiing in the Swiss Alps, where the proliferation of cows provided race fans with an abundance of these unique noise makers. If you've seen a televised bike race, or watched olympic snow skiing, you've undoubtably heard the unmistakable ring of a cowbell. Now you, too, can inspire the riders in the Assault on the Carolinas with your own cowbell, courtesy of The Transylvania Times. Bells will be available for free (while supplies last) on Saturday morning at the Pisgah Forest Rotary Club Information Booth, and during registration Friday night. A limited number of bells will be distributed ahead of time

at The Transylvania Times office at 37 North Broad Street in Brevard and at Sycamore Cycles at 112 New Hendersonville Highway in Pisgah Forest.

Everyone who plans to watch the race is encouraged to grab a bell and show their support by making some noise!

Let Us Help You Find Your Mountain Home Serving WNC Since 1977 i Homes i Condominiums i Estates i Homesites i Acreage i Farms i Commercial i Property Management 10 Park Place West Brevard, NC 28712 (828) 883-9895 Info@FisherRealtyNC.com FisherRealtyNC.com

Assault photo courtesy of Chuck Gilmore.

Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.