| News | | Another Successful Tour de Elizabeth - More than 300 Riders come out despite blustery day! | | 5.27.2009 |  Despite the rainy morning and unseasonably cold weather, 335 riders showed up to cruise the streets of NJ's 4th Largest City and be treated to a wonderful ride throughout the State's First Capital, steeped in history and cultural diversity. The enthusiasm and fascinating array of bicycles (tandem, recumbent, bamboo, dog trailers, etc.) was a site to behold, including a cyclist from Ocean Grove who sported a Hawaiian decorated Beach Bike with an attached Boom box playing Jimmy Buffet Classics!
The Tour passed many sites where movies or TV shows were filmed, and riders were treated to colorful signage denoting those sites, including HBO's hit series, "The Sopranos",(Manolos Restaurant, 91 Elizabeth Avenue) recent Academy Award nominated movie, "The Wrestler" (Vintage Mode Clothes, 1055 Elizabeth Ave)and TV shows such as Sci Fi Channel's Ghost Hunters and Law and Order (County Courthouse). Other sites included where the movies "Devils Advocate" (Al Pacino, Keanu Reeves), "Far from Heaven" (Dennis Quaid), "War of the Worlds" (Tom Cruise), "Sweet and Lowdown" (Woody Allen, Sean Penn, Uma Thurman) and "The Perfect Holiday" (Queen Latifah).
The posters were designed by the art departments of Ms. Anna Digeronimo from School 31 (S. Elmora Avenue) and Christine Demattia from the Ronald Reagan School on Newark Avenue.
"It was great to see all of the different neighborhoods, interesting architecture, and areas of improvement, said Christina Shay, from Morristown, N.J. "I definitely saw some restaurants that I would be interested in coming back to."
Riders were also treated to the newly paved Waterfront path at the Elizabeth Seaport, where the Union County Police and Fire Rescue Boat was spraying colored streams of red, white and blue water as they rode by. Laps around the Jersey Gardens Mall and Warinanco Park culminated the Tour after riders traversed the sprawling neighborhoods of the Elmora Hills section of the city.
"We rode by such beautiful homes," said Shay. "Families were all out cheering us on, so much so that it felt like we were on parade and the whole town was involved." "It was really nice!"
Greg May of Westfield who pulled an enclosed bike trailer containing his 10-month old son commented, "I rode with my wife and sister and was thrilled to see the site where my Great Grandfather had a Jewelery Store on Broad street," he said. "We also passed the neighborhood where my Grandfather lived and I would visit as a boy."
Sponsors for this year's tour include: American Water, Elegant Headwear, Elizabeth Development Company, Elizabeth PBA #4, Arco Construction Group, Elizabeth Avenue Partnership, Historic Midtown Elizabeth, MAR Acquisitions, Michelino's, PMK Group, State Farm Insurance of Elizabeth, PSE&G, Trinitas Hospital, Brounell & Kramer, Bovis Lend Lease, Gargiulo Produce, BJ&M Auto, Conoco Phillips, Infineum, USA, LP, Jersey Gardens Mall, Na-Vet Printing Co., Palin Industries, Elmora Pharmacy, Dario Scholis Art, Suburban News, American Flag Co., DJ Rob of Colorblind Productions, Elizabeth EMBA, Elizabeth Fire Department, City of Elizabeth.
If you would like to participate in the 2010 Tour de Elizabeth, check the website, www.groundworkelizabeth.com, or call 908-289-0262 for more information. | |
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