More than 100 ride Big Walker

By JIM CUNNINGHAM/Staff

More than 100 bike riders took part in the fourth annual Big Walker Century Ride held Saturday in Wythe and Bland counties.

Riders had a choice of five different routes: 25 miles, 40 miles, 50 miles, 62 miles or 100 miles. The ride helps raise money to support the HOPE Ministry Center, which is a project to help overcome poverty.

Andy Kegley, executive director of HOPE and the ride’s organizer, said there were about 175 riders who registered. Out of those, about 110 rode the 100-mile course.

The event raised about $8,500, said Kegley.

The first finisher for the 100 mile course was Bob Broyden, who finished in approximately five hours. The first finisher for the 62-mile course was Bill Marcheck, who finished in about 3 and a half hours.

A complete list of the finishers was not available as of press time on Monday but will be printed in a later edition.

Kegley said he appreciated all of the riders who participated and expressed appreciation to all of the volunteers who worked at the rest stops. And he thanked the sponsors, which include: Gatorade, Clayton Homes, Southwest Podiatry, Heartland Rehabilitation, Carilion Medical of Wytheville, Willis Chiropractic, Banker’s Insurance, Adventures (bike shop in Wytheville), town of Wytheville Recreation Department, Bland County Recreation Department, Big Walker Lookout and Newberry Construction.

One rider who chose the 50-mile course is Larry Culbertson. Culbertson lives in Atlanta, Ga., where he is a real estate broker.

Culbertson was born in Wytheville and left at an early age. He recently took up bike riding and decided to enter the Century Ride as his very first competition.

After training for the past six months around the Atlanta area, Culbertson said he thought he was about ready. He was but said it was definitely a challenge.

“I had no idea that Big Walker Mountain is that big,” he said. “We don’t have mountains like that in Georgia.”

Despite the elevation, Culbertson said he was proud of his time (approximately five hours) and that he was able to finish without being air-lifted to a hospital.

Culbertson turned 50 on Saturday. He requested and received a number 50 to wear on the ride.

Speaking from his office in Atlanta, Culbertson said that the ride gave him some new-found confidence. The ride was “one of the most physically challenging” things he has ever done,” he said.

Consequently, he said the challenges he faces back at the office don’t seem too difficult now.

He’s planning to sign up for other bike races around the Atlanta and North Carolina area. And he plans to come back to Wytheville next year to compete in the 100-mile ride.

One of the things he liked best about returning to Wythe County was the smell of cow manure. “To me it was a good smell,” he said. It reminded him of his childhood in Wytheville when his dad operated a dairy farm.

Culbertson is planning on writing a book about people who take up physical challenges after reaching the age of 50. He said his experiences around Wythe and Bland counties will help the book get off to a good start.