Category: Events

Just to be clear, I’m not in charge of Tour de Bar.
No one is in charge of Tour de Bar.

Ten Bars, Ten Miles, Ten Hours

Thirty-one years ago, eight guys from Pratt & Whitney started a bicycle-based pub crawl. At least three of the eight were on the Tour de Bar this weekend. Some still live in the North Palm Beach area, others fly in from out of state. Interviewing the founders is a bit difficult since no one is willing to take the credit — or blame — for the Palm Beach Tour de Bar.

What started out as eight thirsty guys has turned into over 400 gleefully rowdy riders and a fundraiser for the local Give a Life Foundation which promotes organ & tissue donation. With a suggested donation of $5, over $2,000 was raised this weekend.

The first $450 raised went to pay for the Palm Beach Shores police department. While the ride has run bandit for many years, this year it grew too large to fly completely under the radar.

Charity, Sure, But Also an Economic Impact

Based on how much beer left the Brass Ring Pub Saturday afternoon, I’ve got to believe this event has a strong positive effect on the ten or so bars that are featured along the route. I’d be surprised if some of the smaller bar stops saw 200 unique people in a week, let alone that many in a day.

The T-shirt vendor also failed to properly anticipate demand. I think 150 shirts were printed and they were gone in a flash. If you didn’t get your Tour de Bar T-Shirt, you can still grab one if you hurry. The material is a bit thin but, at just $10 a shirt, it is a heck of a deal. I saw a lot of shirts from previous years. I think 1998 was the oldest I saw.

Tour de Bar Veterans

It wasn’t uncommon to run across people who had participated in the event more than a dozen times. In fact, membership seemed to fit a reverse bell curve. There seemed to be just as many people who had attended 15 or more times as those who were coming out for the first time.

Beater Bikes, Mostly, At Tour de Bar

I’ve never seen so many beater bikes in one place at one time. It’s as though everyone curb-surfed in the weeks leading up to the Tour de Bar looking for wheels. Two-thirds of the bikes looked like $89 K-Mart specials that had set in the backyard for a few years. A couple of dozen were custom works of art that smelled a little like the Freak Bike Militia. No matter what the bike, everyone was welcome and everyone had a big smile.

Some joked that the reason there were so many beater bikes is that many people abandoned their ride and called a cab at the end of the evening. I’m not sure that is true — I didn’t make it to closing time — but I’d like to believe it is true.

Below are some pictures from the event. If you have pictures of your own online, please leave a link in the comments section below.

Here is an update posted by on Karen Monz June 24 on Facebook:

(Thanks, by the way, to Phil Galdys, for permission to use his artwork, above.)

The Tour has always been so care-free; it is with deep regret that we have to send this (way too long) note. Please forward to help get the word out. This is still going to be the best Tour ever…

Don’t skip line-up announcements

Please discourage missing the “announcements” (line-up) and going to the Brass Ring early. Information is conveyed at the announcements that helps The Tour run more smoothly (we’re expecting > 400 people, again).

There are 10 bars this year (including the pool / tiki bar)! The pace will be ~ 30 – 35 minutes per bar…if you want to…

T-shirts available

There will be very cool T-shirts available for $10. The design is excellent, and everyone is encouraged to get one of these well-priced mementos.

This year, when parking for the start, across from the Brass Ring Pub, please use only the northernmost (towards CVS) four rows of parking spaces, and the single row of parking spaces, along US 1. The owner of the plaza contacted us and has other businesses that need their spaces. Preferable parking is in the big, grass field west of the CVS.

Palm Beach Shores (southern Singer Island) contacted us, and, given their small township, has demanded we get a permit (it is required for events with more than 50 participants). So, the first $450 given to the charity jug will go to pay PBS. We are encouraging everyone to give $5; that way, we pay the fee and still raise a significant amount for the Give a Life Foundation (organ and tissue donation awareness (except our livers!)).

We have also learned that another party plans to raise funds for another charity during The tour. It’s a free country, but it’s unfortunate that TdB participants may feel like everybody’s got their hand out…

Do not scream inside Sailfish Marina

Sailfish Marina: Do not block the fire hydrants with bikes. Do not scream inside the restaurant.

At the Sea Spray Beach Resort (first stop sign south of Longboat Johnny’s), go left south of the hotel, then park bikes underground! Do not park next to pool or in municipal lot.

We have to be quiet by 9:30, but probably not an issue…

Although rules suck, let’s all help keep The Tour as successful as ever…

Let’s be responsible out there

Editor’s note: As you know, I’m a big advocate of bike safety and riding like a vehicle. I’m more than a little conflicted about promoting an event that mixes alcohol with being on the road on a vehicle (yep, that’s what your bike is). Unless you’re riding a tandem, it’s a little hard to have a designated driver on a bike.

Have fun, but, please, act responsibly.