Bike Ride Along Trail System has Become a Thankgiving Day Course

There is a Thanksgiving Day athletic tradition that is now it its fourth year along the Hop River section of the Rails to Trails system.

It's the Turkey Day Ride, a bicycle tour that travels through Manchester and Vernon on its way to Andover and back.

"It's a social bike ride for all riders," said Eric Barr, one of the "original six" organizers. "There are a few regroups and stops on the way. It does not matter if your bike is $4,000 and ready for Le mans or you found it in the dumpster. Finally a bike ride where all riders are created equal."

The Original Six were Vernon's Peter Blume and Manchester's Barr (the creators) Alex Kostiuk, Tim Strother, Charlie McCauley and Tim Rosser, all longtime riding buddies.

It was a foggy morning in 2009, Barr said.

"But the six riders enjoyed themselves. They made the Trek to Steele's Crossing and back," he said. "The ride passed through the scenic trails of the Hop River. The company was priceless. This would be the new tradition."

The event has no entry fee.

In 2010, ridership was 21 and last year 33 came out.

This year, Barr hopes to draw 50 to the trails.

The tour official starts at with pictures at 8 a.m. at the Church Street Depot. At 7:30, orders can congregate at the Sacred Heart Church parking lot on Route 30 in Vernon and at the Colonial Road trail head in Manchester and head to the Depot. The parking lots there are bigger than the Church Street lot.

The trip to Steele's Crossing and back is 13 miles, Barr said. The tour usually ends at about 10:30.

"It gets you a nice ride and back home for the first football game and Thanksgiving dinner," Barr said. "What more can you ask for?"