Nearly 900 riders proved their love for the sport this past weekend, surviving cold temperatures and harsh winds, as Cycle North Carolina’s Coastal Ride returned to Washington for the sixth time since its inception in the early 1970s. 2000s.

Originally scheduled for April, the coastal walk has been postponed due to concerns over the pandemic.

“COVID had everything to do with it,” said event organizer Chip Hofler. He said last weekend’s “weather deterrent” further downplayed what is typically a crowd of 1,500 to 2,000 runners in a typical year.

Hofler said attendees were ready to “dress in layers and get rid of as you go.” The riders agreed that adding extra layers turned out to be perfect for what Hofler called a “tough wind” that lasted all weekend.

“We met a cyclist who was wearing shorts and was about to take out her sandals. We were frozen, but she reminded us that because she is from Buffalo, New York, she could take this weather, ”said Meta Minton, a Florida resident.

“Everyone on the ride was so wonderful. A lot of times hardcore people can be intimidating, but it was a good mix. It was nice to see people of all ages biking, ”said Minton, who isn’t herself a novice, averaging 7,000 miles of biking in Florida each year.

The event featured rides for all levels of bike enthusiasts, part of a package that included supervised rest areas with snacks and drinks, portable toilets and showers, from camping to Mac Hodges Festival Park, mechanical support, access to the Cycle NC mobile application and an option for GPS downloads with voice commands for the nine routes offered this year.

Cyclists between the ages of nine and 85 chose routes that were five to 100 miles long. Friday’s routes included stops at Goose Creek, Bath and Belhaven. Treats at Yoder’s, Simply Natural Creamery and Gwendy’s Goodies in Pitt County were on Saturday’s list. Rides to the Griffin Family Farm, Deadwood Theme Park, and Billy Rae’s Truck Repair and Farm on the “Northwest Side” ended Sunday weekend.

“And of course there is the food,” exclaimed Hofler. Sausage wraps at Haw Branch Church of God, Pinetown Fire Department quesadillas, and King Chicken’s cookies were among attendees’ choices, as well as a Coastal Ride Social caterer at the Estuarium in North Carolina.

“It’s a wonderful way to get together as a family, and it’s great for us because we don’t have to be ‘gonzo’ bikers to do this,” said Vicki Copeland of Colorado, who has accompanied his sister and brother. law on an annual cycle tour for two decades. The three have been riding since one of Copeland’s two sisters was diagnosed with cancer. “It was time to make memories with each other. We have been going from the mountains to the coast since 2004. We have a million war stories, but we mostly laugh and have a great time. Without cancer, we would never have done this.