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Cycling / Triathlon

Cycling community assists Hurricane Katrina victims

By JESSICA FISH
Published September 16, 2005

During the cycling and triathlon season, competitors tend to be the busiest people around.

With the exception of championship awards parties, most riders don't get the chance to socialize or give support to each other when times are tough. After Hurricane Katrina, all that changed for the athletes from devastated areas. Some cyclists lost their equipment, but others lost much more. Members of the U.S.-based cycling trade organization, the National Bicycle Dealer's Association (NBDA), say they have found a way to assist Katrina victims. "There was a person organizing in the Astrodome in Houston," said Orlando's Hans Hansel, owner of the BikeWorks shop. "He came across a group of people who had worked in or ran bike shops.

"He contacted a Houston shop and asked for help. That's how the idea started," Hansel said. "Bicyclists all around the country want to help other bicyclists."

Hansel offered temporary housing and work at his business for 4-5 people. Many others followed.

Alan Stadnick, who owns Alan's Bike Shop in Vero Beach, posted a job opening for a mechanic on NBDA's Website. Some shop owners offered free transportation for mechanics and salespeople and their entire families.

Soon, riders from Pinellas County shops and clubs stepped up with offers of assistance - housing, money, food, clothing, employment and transportation. St. Petersburg Bicycle Club member Bill Addler, who owns Revolution Bicycles in St. Petersburg, made it known he wants to help. "We have employment for full or part time for 1-2 displaced tech and sales staff," Addler said. "We will also do what we can for temporary housing and other personal needs like clothing and food."

Clearwater's Tom Jessup, longtime owner of Chainwheel Drive, posted an announcement after customers came into his store requesting loaner bikes to assist cyclists forced out of their towns and staying in the area.

"We could hire a skilled mechanic who is good with customers," Jessup said. "And, we would be happy to help those people and their families with the arrangements and costs for relocation to the bay area."

SAFE HAVEN: USA Triathlon All-American champions Jackie and Larry Yost of Treasure Island always have their doors open for children, grandchildren and visiting athletes, particularly during St. Anthony's Triathlon week.

Skipping the next few races, the Yosts are housing their triathlete daughter, Cindy Perret, and her family, who live in Jefferson Parish, near Metairie, La.

"Cindy has been getting some fantastic training here with triathletes from the St. Pete Mad Dogs," Jackie said. "Some Mad Dogs in our group like Wendy Johnson, Meli Hamilton and Shirley Taylor brought clothes for them.

"On Aug. 27, they only had an hour's notice to pack the car with their bikes, helmets, workout clothes and their dog and rush out of town before traffic gridlock blocked the escape routes," Jackie said of her daughter's family.

Racing north in a frantic attempt to outrun the rain and fierce winds, Perret and her husband drove to Treasure Island by way of Memphis and Atlanta. Roads were blocked with traffic, and beating the storm was their only goal.

This week, the Perrets are living and training in Treasure Island, wondering if their home is standing.

LOCAL HERO: Area riders became curious after noticing that USA Cycling racer Peter Hill of St. Petersburg had missed recent races and bike training. The Northeast High grad is a paramedic who's worked the past 14 years for the St. Petersburg Fire Department. Hill just spent more than a week rescuing survivors of Hurricane Katrina. Gaining search and rescue experience from assisting victims of last year's Hurricane Charley, Hill fully expected to be called for Katrina. When the conditions began to deteriorate, he prepared to leave for a search and rescue on Aug. 28.

"The mission of our state team was to find live people who were trapped," said Hill, who was deployed to Biloxi, Miss., for 10 days. "We were with guys from the Tampa-based Hillsborough County Fire Rescue and Miami-Dade Fire Rescue. We never worked together, but immediately it clicked. "My team arrived in the area a day after the waters went down a bit. We were the first people that they saw in those neighborhoods. Survivors were standing around in shock. Even the fire department lost several buildings and trucks. From what I saw, the complete infrastructure of Biloxi was gone. "People were popping up all over," Hill said. "They all had incredible stories. Some swam out their front doors, some ran to their attics and kicked out the vents to breathe, and some just held onto wood and floated to dry land." Thinking like a mountain biker, Hill used his Camelbak drinking backpack, which holds 100 ounces of water, to avoid dehydration.

"It was hard in the heat, but we tried to remind each other to drink," Hill said. "We had ready-to-eat meals and showered with soap to try to decontaminate at night. We slept in tents. People tried to give us food. Their gratitude was totally overwhelming for us. "Some firefighters lost their own homes. At the end of the week, we passed the hat and raised lots of money. We gave it to them, and it was an emotional scene. Our feeling was, "Hey, you could be down in Florida helping us next week.' "

SAND KEY TRIATHLONS: Sand Key Triathlon director Bev Buysse said that a portion of the proceeds from the Sept. 25 event will go to assist Katrina survivors. The race will consist of a .5-mile swim, 10 miles of biking and a 3.1-mile run.

Packet pick-up is set for 11 a.m.-8 p.m. on Sept. 24 at Clearwater Community Sailing Center on Sand Key. The race venue is Clearwater's Sand Key County Park. The transition area opens at 5 a.m., and the competition starts at 7. For information, contact 727 526-5371 or www.trithisinc.com

[Last modified September 15, 2005, 11:02:11]