Pedal Putnam continues to put area on cycling map

Wes Kendall is fully aware of the fact that Greencastle, and, for that matter, all of Putnam County is a cycling destination.

"It has really grown," Kendall told The Putnam County Post of the cycling world in Putnam County. "I am finding that more and more people are coming here from the donut counties of Indianapolis. People are coming on a Saturday morning to do some of the routes that are popular."

One major reason for the spike in population is the Pedal Putnam event, which will be held Saturday, June 21. The festivities, which feature a road race, will leave from Lost Hollow, 102 E. Franklin St., at 8:30 a.m. There will be a 12.5 mile ride that will navigate through DePauw University, out to People Pathways and Big Walnut Sports Park before returning to Lost Hollow. 

"We will have 300 to 330 cyclists in town, which is just great. Last year, the best part was the joy in seeing the kids do the race last year. It shows people there are places in Greencastle where you can ride your bike," Kendall said. 

Kendall said one of the best parts of the event is just meeting all the people that have attended the event that Eric Freeman, of the Putnam County Visitors Bureau, helped spur along.

"He said if you dreamed up a ride what would you come up with. The first or second one it rained, and we had maybe 40 people at most and it was a washed out event. Last year, we had 175 people and this year we have over 300. It is a bigger sized event for cycling in our area. I have gotten to know some really neat people," Kendall said. 

In addition to the ride, two bikes will be given away to children courtesy of J's Bikes of Terre Haute and the generosity of Putnam County Hospital and Jedele Enterprises/McDonalds of Greencastle. Kendall said a significant portion of the proceeds from the event will go to support the Friends of the Park and the Putnam Parks and Pathways. 

"Funding for pathways will probably be limited across the state of Indiana, but the Friends of the Park here in Putnam County has significantly grown its endowment to where it is almost a half a million dollars. Last year, I think we raised close to 15 thousand to go to that organization from Pedal Putnam. It is helping people and it is neat to know," Kendall said. 

Kendall got into cycling as a child, remembering his parents buying him a Schwinn 10 Speed silver bike on Christmas. 

"It is your taste of freedom. I grew up in a time where you got on your bike and you rode downtown and spent your days hanging out with your friends and the bike was your transportation. i can remember the joy of floating down a hill riding around town. If you get pictures of cyclists going uphill, we look miserable, but if you see us going downhill, you will see us having the time of our lives," Kendall said. 

Along the way, the cycling community has gained friends from within Greencastle City Hall in the form of Mayor Lynda Dunbar and councilman Vincent Aguirre, something Kendall said is huge.

"It is 100 percent great and wonderful. We have been extremely blessed to have the city council, the county highway department, the city police and the sheriff's department being wonderful to work with. Councilman Vince is one of our bike dads. We have several bike dads who use the pathways to pick up kids from daycare and such. I also want to say thank you to our community. We are aware that we can slow your journey down, and I am sorry for that, but many times when you see a cyclist, you are seeing a dad or mom and we appreciate your patience when we are on the road," Kendall said. 

That partnership has helped spread the word that Greencastle and Putnam County are "cyclist friendly."

"It feels me with pride and joy. I have an app where I can see popular routes, and I will open my phone and see that someone came over here and started downtown and will ride 33 miles on a Saturday afternoon. It gives me joy because I think there's a lot of great stuff that is happening here in Putnam County. We want to grow, and I think we are finding a lot of people who are finding this is what they are looking for," Kendall said.