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Annual Missions Tour de Goliad Bike Ride is a great family event!
We invite you to join us October 19th for the 22nd Annual Missions Tour de Goliad Bike Ride, which is rapidly becoming one of the premier rides in Texas. The Missions Tour de Goliad offers the unique charm and challenges of the South Texas countryside. Whether you choose the 10, 30, 50, or 65 mile tours, you will pedal through a rich countryside filled with stately centuries-old live oak trees and gently rolling hills. Make plans now to join us on the third Saturday in October. A portion of The Missions Tour de Goliad proceeds to benefit
Goliad 4-H
Goliad Senior Citizens Center and
Warriors Weekend, Victoria, Texas.
The 10 mile route is geared for families and those who like to take things a little flatter. This ride will pedal you through the historic City of Goliad, Goliad State Park, the Fannin Monument and Presidio La Bahia. The 30, 50, and 65 mile routes will direct you out in Goliad County and the historic San Antonio River Valley. Ride past scenic ranches on gentle rolling hills. Part of the rides are on major highways, but will lead you to rural county roads through small farming communities within Goliad County.
Set your course for Goliad--a Texas Destination!
If you have any questions or would like a registration form, please call the Goliad Chamber
361-645-3563 or email
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On-Line Registration with active.com
Maps:
10 Mile
30 Mile
50 Mile
65 Mile
LOCATION AND PACKET PICKUP!
Packet pickup for pre-registered riders and onsite registration times are:
Friday, October 18th - 6:00pm - 8:00pm
Saturday, October 19th - 6:00am - 7:45am
at 450 S Market Street, Goliad.
All riders will receive a goody bag and an official RIDE t-shirt at registration while supplies last!
More about the RIDE:
Ride is “Rain or Shine” except in severe weather. If, one hour before the ride is scheduled to begin, the official weather report for this area predicts heavy rain or strong winds, the ride may be postponed or cancelled. You may call the Chamber office at 361/645-3563 for any messages relating to bad weather.
Sorry, no refunds.
Traffic control will be maintained, courtesy of the Goliad County Sheriff’s Department. Volunteers from area EMS units will provide First-Aid assistance.
SAG stops and Port-O-Lets will be located on all routes and will furnish water, fruit, salty snacks and those famous 4-H cookies. A SAG vehicle will accompany each of the 30, 50 & 65 mile rides. Final course sweep begins at 2:00 p.m. Maps will be included in your rider bag and are color-coded to match the ride signage. We have tried to make all routes safe, but riders should be aware of hazards, such as road surfaces that become slick if wet. Riders are responsible for their own safety during the ride. Approved helmets are required.
Riders must obey all traffic laws. If any road has a shoulder, all bicyclists must ride there. A responsible rider must accompany (within viewing distance of) children under 18 years old. Bicycles must be in good working order. Rear-view mirrors are recommended. For safety reasons, please refrain from using personal audio equipment, especially with headphones.
Special thanks to our presenting sponsor for 2013:
International Power -
Coleto Creek
Thanks to
Faye's Texas Naturals
for supporting the 2013 RIDE! Sponsorships still available.
Call today 361-645-3563
TOUR HELD 3RD SATURDAY OF OCTOBER EACH YEAR
www.goliadcc.org
History of the Missions Tour de Goliad
In 1992, one woman with an idea gathered a group of Goliad residents and initiated the 1st Annual Missions Tour de Goliad Bicycle Ride. Mrs. Faye Irby, not a bike rider herself, called upon friend and bike rider Wesley Stephens to help organize the event. Wes, an avid biker but unfamiliar with Goliad roads, drove miles throughout the countryside and with the help of his wife, Ada Sue, laid out the routes that would become the first Missions Tour de Goliad. Then, Faye with his help and a few other residents, pulled off the near impossible. Together, they organized, advertised and bestowed upon Goliad, Texas an event that was destined to become a Goliad tradition. They did this in the unbelievable period of six weeks. These early helpers included, Bubba Thigpen, John Barnhill, Dottie Simmons, Jim Landolt, Mary Ann Williams, Julie Wimberly, Ceil McKinney and Joe McManus.
The first ride bought 160 riders to Goliad and became an overnight success. Dalhart Winberg, a reputable hometown artist, designed a logo for the Tour and it has become symbolic of the ride. Bike Riders across Texas recognize the “Ghost Rider” as representing one of the best and most beautiful tours in Texas.
By 1994, 206 riders registered for the ride. Organizers added a spaghetti dinner to the event as well as entertainment by local singer Mary Ann Williams. The Ride’s reputation continued to grow and the year 1995 saw rider attendance rise to 324.
Just as the Missions Tour de Goliad continued to grow so had Faye Irby’s business, “Faye’s Texas Naturals.” After five successful years, Faye turned over the reins as Committee Chairman in order to devote more time to her business. She, by no means, removed herself from the event that was her brainchild. Faye continues to be an important participant, assuring the ride’s ongoing success.
Mrs. Bettie Giraudin became the second Ride Chairman for the 6th Annual Missions Tour de Goliad. Now, in its sixth year, preparations for the Ride were taking up to ten months. Besides the Ride and Tour Directors, there were committees and assignments for numerous functions such as advertising, brochures, communications, and SAG (stop and go) stops where refreshments and facilities were available. In addition, assignments for volunteers included directing traffic, registration and even someone in charge of Port-o-Lets, a not-to-be forgotten convenience when there are more than 350 bikers on the roads.
The 6th Annual Missions Tour de Goliad saw a new addition that would become a tradition. Mr. Tom Neagli, Bay Area Schwinn of Corpus Christi donated a Bike for an “after the ride” prize drawing for registered riders. It was a sought after prize and one that over three hundred riders patiently awaited the drawings results during the 1997 ride.
The Missions Tour de Goliad is nearing five hundred riders, more than three times that of the ride’s inception. The rides have changed little from the original routes measured and designated by Mr. Stephens in 1992. Mr. Wesley Stephens passed away in 2002, just prior to the 11th Annual Missions Tour de Goliad. He lived to see the event become a mainstay of the town’s activities and one that continues to bring the community together year after year. For many years, on the morning of the Tour, Mrs. Faye Irby could be found registering riders, handing out T-shirts and generally checking on the many details that have turned one woman’s idea into a community institution. Faye passed away in August of 2008 and most of the original volunteers are no longer with us, several have passed on and some have moved away. Their efforts will not be forgotten as the Chamber of Commerce employees and volunteers proudly strive to continue the tradition that began with a single idea.
The 22nd Annual Missions Tour de Goliad will be held October 19, 2013. For more information, sponsorships or to ride, please contact the Goliad Chamber of Commerce at 361-645-3563 or via email at
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.
In 1998, registration rose to 394 and the Missions Tour de Goliad was firmly established as a premier ride. Rider comments confirmed Faye Irby’s early belief that the clean country air and rolling hills around Goliad would bring riders back year after year. Not the least of those comments complimented the people of Goliad for making the riders feel welcome. One avid rider sent a thank you letter expressing his appreciation for a very enjoyable experience and comparing Goliad to a town in a Norman Rockwell painting.
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