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Tour de Sussex offers best of county

Cyclists: Sign up early and save registration money
July 30, 2014

Milton cyclist Chris Moody has dreamed about a bicycle tour throughout Sussex County. “This is a beautiful area and we want to show off all aspects from coastal to western Sussex,” he said.

Moody, the director of corporate and community affairs at Delaware Technical Community College, contacted members of Sussex Cyclists this past winter and the result is Tour de Sussex. Cyclists who choose the longest rides will pass by the county's best beaches and some of the county's best farms.

Tour de Sussex, scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 13, will feature rides of 25, 62 – metric century – and 100 – century – miles. There is also a one-mile family fun ride around campus. Registration will start at 7 a.m. for the show-and-go bike tour. All routes start and end at the college on Route 404 in Georgetown.

Early registrants can save money. The cost is $55 by Thursday, July 31; $65 from Aug. 1 to Aug. 31; and $75 from Sept. 1 to Sept. 13. Moody said each cyclist will receive a T-shirt, lunch and drink coupons, ride support and rest stop refreshments.

Some of the stops include well-known places in Sussex County including Dogfish Head Brewery in Milton, Irish Eyes in Lewes and Trap Pond State Park near Laurel. Not all routes will visit all of the stops. Music and refreshments will be provided at the college.

Cyclists taking part in the century ride will do a loop around Sussex County from Georgetown to Milton; then to Lewes and Cape Henlopen State Park; south on Route 1 to the Bethany Beach-Fenwick Island area; west across the county to Trap Pond State Park; and then northeast back to the college.

The 62-mile loop follows some of the century-ride course but does not include the southern portion along Route 1. Cyclists doing the 50-mile loop will bike to Milton, Lewes and then back to Georgetown. The 25-mile route is a loop from Georgetown to Milton.

Moody said cyclists will have the option to ride on the new crushed-stone Gordons Pond Trail in Cape Henlopen State Park or cycle on paved roads. “Some cyclists with road bikes would prefer not to ride on the trail,” Moody said.

Proceeds from Tour de Sussex will help fund scholarships for displaced workers to take professional development courses at Del Tech, fund Kids on Campus scholarships and provide donations to other local charities.

For more information go to tourdesussex.com.

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