Awards to those who help bicycle travelers in need

Remember those people who helped you down the road on your bicycle travels this past year?

Monk King Bird Pottery by http://transamtrio.blogspot.com/

So does the Adventure Cycling Association, which honored them in its 2012 Bicycle Travel Awards announced today. Based on nominations from members, Adventure Cycling has been honoring do-gooders since 2003.

The honorees include a trio who provide shelter to bicyclists on an isolated section of the TransAmerica Trail in Wyoming, a man who set up shopping program that gives discounts to traveling bicyclists, a California bike shop and a volunteer who is helping to create the Bicycle Route 66.

Monk King Bird Pottery

Byron Seeley, Kelly White, and Vicki Howell of Jeffrey City, Wyoming, received the June Curry Trail Angel Award for essentially going out of their way to do something kind for bicyclists.

What they do is open up Monk King Bird Pottery, housed in an abandoned gas station, to bicyclists who need a place to camp or a roof over their head while riding the TransAmerica Trail. [That photo above is from the TransAm Trio blog ]

Jeffrey City is a ghost town that went bust when the nearby uranium mine closed, losing 95% of its population. The only motel closed in 2009. According to the nomination:

Byron and Kelly have graciously offered a place to camp, or accommodations in their trailer or the floor of their studio, to many traveling cyclists, including me. Jeffrey City is a wild place with big storms, rattlesnakes, clouds of mosquitoes, and miles and miles of sagebrush. The hospitality of Byron ‘the Mad Potter,’ Kelly, and Vicki is a true legend of the TransAm.”

Bicycle Benefits

Ian Klepetar of Ganesvoort, New York, was honored with the Pacesetter Bicycle Travel Award for his discount shopping program for bicyclists.

Called Bicycle Benefits, the program distributes reflective helmet stickers that cyclists wear to receive discounts at local establishments. Started in 2007, the program has expanded to communities in 21 states, the District of Columbia and British Columbia.

Participating restaurants and shops can be found at his website. Seattle, for instance, lists 66 locations for discounts to bicyclists. In fact, the Theo Chocolate factory store sold half-price classic chocolate bars to customers with the Bicycle Benefits helmet sticker.

Bike Shop

Adventure Cycling awarded the Sam Braxton Bike Shop Award to Pacific Coast Cycles in Oceanside, California. Owner Chuck Hoefer is described as master mechanic and expert wheel builder. His store keeps every size of Surly Long Haul Truckers in stock, as well as a wide variety of vintage and modern bicycle parts.

Volunteer

The Volunteer of the Year Award goes to Christopher Marsh of Rio Rancho, New Mexico. He’s helping Adventure Cycling create the Bicycle Route 66 by meeting with community and tribal leaders along the length of the historic highway in New Mexico.