SOLON — Since sometime in the 1980s Solon kids have had a chance to demonstrate their bike riding skills in the Solon Optimist Club’s annual Bike Rodeo.
This year’s event was held Saturday, June 18 in the middle school parking lot, the current home for the event.
Marv Stastny provided a little history lesson.
“It started over at the real old school (current Solon Community Center) and we did it during Beef Days a couple of years. We did it at the library for a couple of years, we did it at the elementary school for a couple of years, and we ended up here.”
Riders pedaled their way through five contests: a circle ride, newspaper toss, “zig-zag” around a line of cones, the treacherous rail ride (biking on a 4” wide board), and a slow speed balance along a 3’-wide trail (“the slower they go, the more points they tally,” he explained).
“One of the things that the Optimists do is, we try to interact with the kids of Solon.”
Trophies were awarded for first-through third place in four age groups ranging from four to 11 and separated for boys and girls.
Two Overall Champion (boy and girl) trophies were also awarded.
“We’re going to have bingo for Beef Days,” Stastny said. “We’ll get the bingo tent back out and do it again. We haven’t had it for the last couple of years because of Covid, but this year, we’re gonna do bingo. We start on Friday night and then do Saturday.”
For information on joining the Optimists, call Terry Krob, 319-389-3329 or Stastny at 319-331-1344.
Solon Optimist Club member Donnie Miller explains the paper toss challenge to J.J. Munson during the club’s annual bike rodeo Saturday, June 18 at the middle school.