Tour de Tow and Twilight Criterium in Bartow Labor Day Weekend

Going to jam at the criterium? You’ll need to stock up on gorp, and spend some serious saddle time to prepare. A lot of LSD racked up for training effect couldn’t hurt, and will help you to stay away from OTB (and away from the broom wagon); so you can take a flyer, bunny hop obstacles and throw the bike. All right! Just in case you didn’t know, these are words you might hear at the next big cycling event in Bartow. Cyclists have their own language, and it’s like the sport – colorful, fun and exciting.

You won’t want to miss the Tour De Tow Road Tour and Twilight Criterium planned for Labor Day weekend in Bartow, September 5 and 6, beginning at 7:00 a.m. on Saturday and 9:00 a.m. on Sunday. The Florida Point Series Twilight Criterium features professional cyclists from all over the southeast United States converging on Bartow to “catch air” (both bicycle wheels leaving the ground) during the mass-start race covering numerous laps of a course through downtown. But first on Saturday morning, Bartow’s Tour de Tow on-road cycling will take place across the Peace River basin through expansive citrus groves, around beautiful Lake Buffum, and will continue along gently rolling hills and backwoods roads surrounding Bartow.

The tour, not a race, is designed for all skill levels, with rest stops stocked with plenty of fluids, cookies and fruit. (You know fruit = glucose, which is the only fuel that can be used by the brain – so it’s huge for cyclists). There will be a broom wagon (car that follows a group of riders, carrying equipment and lending assistance when needed – also called a sag wagon). And the ride can be anything you want it to be. You can go the “LSD” (Long, Steady Distance) at your pace and even find yourself “OTB” (stands for “Off The Back” and away from the main group of riders – probably not a good thing in a race).

Registration time for the Tour de Tow is 7:00 a.m. on Central Avenue between Main and Summerlin streets. The Tour features a family fun ride, a half metric century, and a metric century. Cost is very minimal and if you sign up before the event you save $5. Pre-registration costs are $15, $25, and $30. Tandem riders add $15 for extra riders. You can pre-register at Active.com, or call ride coordinator Trish Pfeiffer at (863) 640-1024 or lead rider Bob Pfeiffer at (863) 640-1302. You may also email the Pfeiffers at Pfeifferco@aol.com.

Bring your lawn chairs and get ready for another big event at 1:00 p.m., when the Florida Point Series Twilight Criterium kicks off. Professional cyclists will loop a ¼ mile run around Main Street – and if you’ve never seen a real professional bike race – you’re in for an exciting spectator event. There will be no “turkeys” (cyclist term for the great unskilled) at this “jam” (hard, fast riding).

The Criterium race will begin again Sunday morning at 8:00 a.m. and will continue until about 3:00 p.m. Plan to be there when you see the winner “take a flyer” (sprint away from the pack) and “throw the bike” (thrusts the bike ahead of his or her body at the finish line in case of a close finish).

Saturday afternoon from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., a Kid’s Bike Rodeo is featured and that night at 6:00, a Kid’s Fun Race will be held. Also for children will be a bouncy house and waterslide. There are other fun things planned for Saturday night including live music by The Sofa Kings at Fort Blount Park. Everyone is encouraged to either bring a brown bag lunch or purchase one from one of the merchants on Sunday and participate in the community-wide picnic downtown. Remember to save the dates, September 5 and 6, Labor Day weekend, for this exciting Bartow event. Oh, and did we miss a word? Ah, yes, “Gorp” is a combination of  good ol’ raisins and peanuts, a high-energy mix for nibbling during rides. Knowing is half the battle.