Habitat board member ready for bike tour

Habitat board member ready for bike tour
By Ken Hartman
Published: Tuesday, March 30, 2010 7:59 AM EDT

Jeremy Shelton plans to make his first competitive bicycle ride a memorable one.

Shelton, a member of the local Habitat for Humanity board of directors, plans to ride May 10-16 in the Cover Indiana Bike Tour.

More than 150 bicyclists have pledged to participate in the seventh annual event. The overall goal is to increase awareness of Habitat for Humanity’s mission and the progress of 71 independent affiliates toward putting an end to poverty housing.

“Actually, I’ve been wanting to do it for the last two years, but the circumstances and timing just didn’t seem to work out,” Shelton said.

Shelton lives in Frankfort and works at LEP Special Fasteners. He calls himself an “avid bicyclist” who rides about 20 miles a day.

“I enjoy getting out in the country by yourself and everything kind of falls off, the stress and things,” he said. “Every mile out is another one you have to come back.”

Shelton said he has spent about $1,300 on a new Trek bicycle as well as a helmet and sleeping bag. That does not include the $250 entry fee plus a minimum donation of $350 which has to be raised by each participant.

“I think he’s pretty well committed,” said Steve Mullen, Habitat for Humanity board of director’s president. “I saw him out riding the other day.”

Each day, the bicyclists will cover approximately 50 to 60 miles with the first and last days being somewhat shorter rides. Each day’s route will be clearly marked and supported so the cyclists can ride at their own paces.

Riders will stay in Crawfordsville, Terre Haute, Linton, Bedford, Bloomington and Plainfield. Indoor sleeping bag space will be available as well as breakfast and dinner for each participant.

Shelton thinks he’ll be fine the first day of the event. However, he’s not sure about day two after riding all day and sleeping on a gym floor that evening.

“I’m probably going to have some sore spots,” he said. “After that, I should be all right.”

The Cover Indiana Bike Tour will have bicyclists riding on lightly traveled, paved Hoosier back roads. It will begin in Lafayette and end in downtown Indianapolis with a police escort.

“I think it’s a great thing that he is doing,” Mullen said. “He is taking a week of his time to ride in addition to raising funds for Habitat for Humanity.”

Mullen calls Shelton a “civic-minded individual” because he is also on the board at the Clinton County Humane Society.

In addition, Mullen thinks that Shelton is the first from Habitat to participate in the event.

Shelton also said as far as he knows, he is the only rider from the area.

“I requested a few people to go along, but I haven’t heard of any interest,” Shelton said. “Everybody seems to have something going on. I would have liked to have had a pack with me or people I could ride with continuously. It would have been ideal.”

Shelton has no plans for any other races and said he would continue to do the race as he long as he is capable.

Shelton has enjoyed his few years of service on the Habitat for Humanity board.

“As far as like the other boards I’ve been on, they are very agreeable, they get along very well and they seem to be of one mind,” he said. “They are doing things for the right reasons. Steve Mullen is probably one of the best people I know as far as generosity and good-natured. He is a great person.”

Proceeds raised by Shelton will benefit the affiliate in Frankfort. Anyone wishing to make donations for Shelton’s ride may mail them to Clinton County Habitat, P.O. Box 762, Frankfort, IN 46041.