Sweetheart (Sweathard) ride follows 26 mile course

Bryan Boyce sent out an email mid-July alerting people of the 47th Annual Sweetheart, (Sweathard) Bike Ride. The departure was from the Northridge Plaza next to McDonald’s and unlike last year’s pouring rain and lightning, this year on Saturday, Aug. 1 it was cloudy, but the forecast was rain free.

 

The first person to show up for the Sweetheart ride was Bob Schwarz, 72. He said, “I’m here today to keep up with tradition. This is the 47th bike ride and I believe I’ve made 40 of them.” He reported, however, that he hasn’t put in much time on a bike this summer, “Just 17 miles or so.” He said his goal was to do as many of the day’s miles as he could. The full ride is 25.6 miles and goes around Clear Lake, then up along the Snake Trail.

 

Mark Rasmussen, 71, pulled up in his black pickup truck. He rides a 3-wheel bike, and he began unloading it, “Yeah, these 3-wheelers are really nice, you get your blood pumping, and your legs get a great workout. Your arms don’t get as much exercise as you would on a bike, but that’s okay.” There were plenty of extra hands offering to assist him but he insisted, “Thanks, I got it.”    

 

Bruce Boyce, 75, and father to Bryan was riding a typical bike. “Back in the 80s we had from 20 to 30 people with us. I'm glad there’s more here than last year. Last year it was just two people.” There were five men in total, but with the addition of Douglas Engstrom, 73, Bruce was declared the winner, said Engstrom, “Congrats Bruce, you’re the oldest this year.” After they figured this out, Schwarz told a story how once he was checking his phone one handed on his bike, “I was in a hurry, I managed to get my phone out and checked it while steering one handed. I hit a speedbump and went over the handlebars and received an ER visit.” He showed everyone a photo of him in a hospital bed, his face covered in blood.

 

Sally Takala, Bruce’s wife and Bryan’s mother, stated her purpose was only to get a photo of the group.  She said, “I’m not much for biking; we did a trip back in the 80s and that was enough for me.” As the riders prepared to leave, Takala took out her phone for a picture. Bryan handed her an older Fujifilm Quicksnap disposable camera and asked her to snap a photo. She had to look through the little viewscreen before she pushed the button and heard a click. With their pictures taken, the group set out.