Over the next few days, there will be an influx of cyclists on the roads around Hot Springs and nearby cities as the Wounded Warrior Project's Soldier Ride returns to Arkansas.
The 40 Soldier Ride participants, who arrived Wednesday in Hot Springs and were fitted for their bicycles, will ride a loop in Benton today, starting at 9:30 a.m. and finishing at 11:30 a.m. at Tyndall Park. On Friday, they will ride in Hot Springs, starting at 9 a.m. and finishing at 11:15 a.m. at Garland County Veterans Memorial and Military Park at 100 Broadway Terrace.
Ride Manager Mike Owens said that the purpose of the event is to help get wounded veterans back into society and out of their comfort zone. The event, Owens said, gets wounded veterans out of isolation.
Owens said that the cost of everything, from lodging to food and travel, is covered for the riders.
Soldier Ride has been around for 15 years, and has been coming to Hot Springs for around seven. The reason they keep coming back, Owens said, is the support they have found here. He said that the police and sheriff's departments, EMTs and fire departments have been very helpful and receptive to the group and that the community here has also been supportive.
The warriors arrived Wednesday at the Courtyard Marriott in Hot Springs, where they will be staying for the duration of their trip in Arkansas. The bike fitting, by Lorinda Putter, took place in the parking lot of the hotel.
This was the second time that Putter has been to Hot Springs with Soldier Ride. In a year's time, there will be a dozen Soldier Ride events. Putter said that Hot Springs has become one of her favorite ride locations. "I love the area," she said, adding that the history of the area and seeing Bathhouse Row is interesting.
As for why she helps with the event, Putter said she has a passion for cycling, and she likes helping people ride bikes. "People who thought they could never ride a bike again," Putter said.
They have several types of bikes that the warriors can use, including street bikes, hybrid bikes, recumbent bikes, mountain bikes and hand bikes. Each rider is fitted to the type of bike that works best with them, and then the bikes are adjusted further to make it even easier for them.
One of the riders, David Owsley, said part of the appeal of the program is that it allows the participants to regain some of the comradely that they had when they were in the military. This will be Owsley's first Soldier Ride.
"Definitely looking forward to the challenge," Owsley said about the ride.
It will be the second Soldier Ride for John Patterson and Jason Stanford. The two previously met at a Soldier Ride in Nashville.
Patterson said he decided to do another ride because "I love it." The event, Patterson said, is both good exercise, and he said it is good to hang out with other wounded veterans. He also said it was fun to run back into Stanford.
Stanford said he noticed Patterson when they were on the plane ride to Arkansas. Stanford also said he is looking forward to the ride. Both of them, and Owsley, all recommended that wounded veterans who haven't looked up the Wounded Warrior Project do so.
Hot Springs Mayor Pat McCabe, an avid cyclist, met with the riders Wednesday and termed it a "great event."
"I'm amazed by what they are able to do," McCabe said.
This is the second year that the riders have been hosted by Courtyard. Kathy Marchese, director of sales at the hotel, said that they were delighted to get the call that they would be returning to the hotel. "It's just such a fabulous project," Marchese said.
Owens said that they are already planning on returning to Hot Springs next year.
Local on 04/25/2019