Pioneer Valley

Tour La Paz Centro

Come tour beautiful Pioneer Valley by bike during fall foliage season and at the same time raise money for Amherst's sister city, La Paz Centro, Nicaragua.

(All profits go to programs benefiting La Paz Centro)

Sept. 29, 2001

(rain date Sept. 30)

Call 413-549-1061 for change of date due to weather

There will be rides for all levels:

12, 27, 43 and 65 miles

RIDER SUPPORT

Rest stops are provided at appropriate intervals along the ride. Please carry a water bottle into the rest stops - we will provide only a few disposable cups in the interest of conservation. A map with mileage is provided for each route as well as road direction signs. SAG support (cars driving the course offering assistance) is also provided. We are committed to providing you with a safe and enjoyable ride.

FOOD

There will be food and water stops along the way with water, refreshments, fruit, bagels and lots of other goodies.

START/FINISH

The ride starts and finishes at Amherst Regional High School. There is plenty of parking.

DIRECTIONS

v From Hwy 91 south and northbound:

Take exit 19 and go east on route 9 for approx. 6 miles to the Center of Amherst. Go left on South Pleasant Street in the center of Amherst for 6/10 of a mile and take a right on Triangle Street. After about 3/10 of a mile, take a left after the baseball field and go straight into the parking lot of the high school.

v From Hwy 9 west bound:

Take route 9 into the center of Amherst and go right on South Pleasant Street. Pick up the directions from above.

RIDE-DAY CHECK-IN AND REGISTRATION

Donation: $10 for students and $20 for adults. Riders must check in between 8:00am and 10:00am to receive their map and other materials. Riders doing the 65-mile course must leave by 9:00 and all others must leave by 10:30am. The course closes at 4:00pm. If you would like to raise your entrance fee (and any other money for the LPC project!) by receiving pledges, please contact us and we will send you a sponsor sheet. Make checks payable to: Amherst/LPC Committee.

SAFETY

This event is a tour, not a race. Ride your own pace, ride safely, be courteous and obey all traffic laws and YOU MUST WEAR A HELMET AT ALL TIMES!!

RIDE DESCRIPTIONS

All rides start and finish at Amherst Regional High School.

12 miles:

A great ride for occasional cyclists with rolling hills winding along rural roads in Amherst and Leverett

27 miles:

This ride builds on the 12-mile route with additional stretches of riding in Montague and Sunderland.

43 miles:

From Sunderland, continue up to Wendell for a good steady climb before descending to Millers Falls and meeting up with the 27 mile ride in Montague

63 miles (metric century+):

A challenging course with about 3,500 ft. of climb. This ride continues to build on the others and goes north up to Northfield before heading south to Greenfield, Montague and back to Amherst. Recommended for people in good physical condition.

NO HELMET - NO RIDE!!

Questions:

v Phone: 413-549-1061

v Email: scarletbkr@aol.com

v Web site http://www-unix.oit.umass.edu/~woodhull/sistercity/bikeride/

Please print legibly

Name

Street

City State Zip

Home phone

Emergency Phone

Email Address

Age (if under 18)

The legal stuff:

In consideration of being permitted to participate in the Pioneer Valley our La Paz Centro (“Activity”), I for myself my personal representatives, assigns, heir and next of kin:

1. Acknowledge that I understand the nature of Bicycling Activities and that the Activity will be conducted over public roads upon which the hazards of traveling are to be expected. i further acknowledge that I will wear an ANSI or Snell-approved helmet.

2. Fully understand that bicycling activities involve risks of serious injury; these risks may be caused by my own actions, the actions of others participating in the Activity, or the negligence of the Releases named below; and I fully accept and assume all such risks and all responsibility for loses, costs and damages I incur as a result of my participation in the Activity.

3. Hereby release any sponsors, advertisers, owners and leasers of premises on which the Activity takes place from all liability, claims, demands, losses or damages on my account caused by the negligence of the releases.

I have read this waiver and understand that it is a release of all claims and agree that if any portion of this agreement is held to be invalid the balance shall continue in effect.

Signature Date____ __

(Parent or guardian if under 18)

Mail this form with the signed waiver and payment to:

Sister City Committee

c/o 45 Hills Road

Amherst, MA 01002

(Make checks payable to Amherst/LPC Committee):

Where is La Paz Centro?
La Paz Centro is an agricultural community of some 26,000 people occupying an area about ten times that of Amherst in the province of Leon, about thirty miles northwest of Managua. People raise cotton, corn, sorghum, sesame and also cattle. Cottage industry produces earthenware utensils and construction materials. Additional products are salt and palm for thatch. This is a poor community with few resources and little support from the central government; unemployment is extremely high.

What does the Sister City Committee do?
Its purpose is to encourage cultural and educational exchanges, to promote better understanding between our two countries and to give assistance to those in need in both communities. A Sister City Committee was appointed to further these purposes. The Committee receives no funding from the town, but raises money selling crafts, coffee and donuts at town meetings, holding bake sales and tag sales and contributions from residents.

Projects:
Some of the projects we've helped to support are listed below:

· Material aid (shipments of educational, medical and other supplies twice a year)

· Medical Clinic

· Bicycle project

· Library support

· Hurricane relief

· Small business loans to women

· Animal husbandry projects

Help is Needed! We would like to be able to do much more in La Paz Centro, but we need help. Donations and volunteers are instrumental in assisting with the shipment of material aid, bake & tag sales, and community outreach. Please call the Sister City Committee at 413-549-1041