Bicycle race not loved by everyone

It has been weeks since the Jamestown Classic Annual Bike Race, and I have not read a negative letter about its staging. For better or worse, here is one from a fan of the race since its inception. As usual, I watched the race at the top of Hamilton Avenue and snapped a few photographs while engaging in conversation with a pleasant young lady who tried to explain the differences in the Category system to me. Although I try to watch some of the Tour de France every year, I am not a committed race fan. I am just your average sports fan who remembers when you didn't need a spandex wardrobe to be a biker.

When I told a few friends that I had watched and, again, enjoyed the experience, I was taken aback by their reaction. One absolutely hates it. He refuses to come into

town until it is well over. He pointed out that where it once was a "local" event, it now ties up downtown with race team vans and other equipment vehicles. Another said it did nothing for his business since the bikers rarely stayed to eat or drink. Someone mentioned that there were reports of, that greatest ignominy from the arrest records in the Newport Daily News, public urination by the bikers. One defender of the race, a local carpenter, said it took him almost 45 minutes to get into town from the Jamestown Bridge. He understood and did not mind, but I asked him if he had a homeowner waiting for his services that day. He did.

The Rotary organizers seem to do a wonderful job recruiting participants with a charity benefiting in the end. The race is now a part of the fabric of the island. It is a family event much like the Jack O' Lantern Jog or the Fools' Rules Regatta. Do those events "tie up" the downtown area? I guess that they do but apparently not to the extent of the bike race. The one event that the "opponents" of the bike race point to as model is Ali's Run, which begins in Ft. Getty. There are no campers in October when the bike race is held. There is plenty of parking for equipment vans and cars. The Rotary could lease out a concession stand at the pavilion and make even more money for charity. Would this relieve the pressure on downtown? I am sure that the organizers will respond, but please remember, I am a proponent of the event. Some of us were just unaware that it is not a universally loved event.

Kevin Carty,

Jamestown