2002 Birthday Challenge

Also see reports and pictures by J. E. Swager and Jim Snider


Bob Everhard talks to a visitor at the Birthday Challenge
in the Longleaf Trace Gateway Park in Prentiss


Mobby Overstreet, Ann Beardshall, and Shannon Holder
visit with Harry Strohm, founder of the Birthday Challenge


The registration table was kept busy


Cathy Watts was a birthday challenger


Harry and Mobby greet a Hub City Cyclist at registration


Some good food was eaten at the Challenge

 The Trace was marked so all challengers knew exactly where they were at all times. Numbers were painted every 5 kilometers. The orange numbers tell you how many kilometers you are from Prentiss, and the yellow numbers tell you how many kilometers you are from Hattiesburg. In between the 5 kilometer marks, there were a set of dots at each kilometer. 


Josh Sharpe, a hand cyclist from Fort Walton Beach Florida; and 
C. L. King from Brookhaven stop to look at the markings. They
had passed the 60 Kilometers markings earlier, so they knew they
were now 3 kilometers from Prentiss, and 62 kilometers from Hattiesburg.


J. E. Swager also stopped. Mr. Swager comes
to the Trace frequently, and has even formed a
Greatest Generation bike club to ride the Trace. 
See Swager's report on the 2002 Birthday Challenge


The aid station at Parkman road was manned by volunteers from the Mississippi Department of Health including: Frankie Holliman, Corky Holliman, Corey Holliman, Lance McNease, and Kellen Krause.


Amy and Joyce stop to enjoy one of the new overlooks


Ann reads the sign showing that Economy supply and Moore's Bicycle shop generously donated the materials for the overlooks, and then built them!


Prentiss Policemen Kevin Kirk and T. C. Cooley made
sure everyone got across Highway 84 safely


Don Robbins (center) coordinated the Birthday Challenge.
Jerry Mc Gath and Tom Kennedy came from Tupelo to participate.


Harry Strohm starts the ceremonies


Jim Snider from Ride South Recumbents in Brandon participated and brought quite a few BentLovers Club (a recumbent bike club in Jackson) members to the Challenge.  Ride South is in the process of sponsoring a rest stop at mile marker 5.25. He generously sponsored a raffle which helped raise money for the rest stop. Jim's report and pictures.


Harry enjoys a break with Jimmy Moore. Mr. Moore went 80
kilometers: 16 by running, and 64 by cycling.


Shannon Holder and Marvin Overstreet
cycled the challenge. Medals were awarded
to those who completed their challenge

Also see reports and pictures by J. E. Swager and Jim Snider