(Eleuthera, Bahamas) – The Eleuthera Long Riders bicycling club has renamed itself the “Arrington McCardy Long Riders” in memory of its founder, the late Arrington McCardy, who died doing what he loved during the Ride for Hope bicycle ride in April 2011.
Arrington’s son, Cecil McCardy of Hatchet Bay, is a founding member of the organization, along with John Birzten of Governor’s Harbour and Richard Langworth of Rainbow Bay. Other cyclists from central Eleuthera join them from time to time, and a Sunday morning ride is scheduled every week.
“We usually try to ride about 20 miles out and back, from various parts of the island,” says John Birzten. This year we’ve done return trips from Glass Window to Three Island Dock, Glass Window to Bluff, Hatchet Bay to Governor’s Harbour Airport, and Savannah Sound to Tarpom Bay.
“In the past, during a full moon, Arrington might take it into his head to drive to Bannerman Town and start up the Queen’s Highway at 3am in moonlight, 100 miles to the Spanish Wells dock, stopping for coffee in Rainbow! This was probably where he got the idea for the club name.”
The club uses road bikes or hybrids and welcomes any cyclist who might wish to join them. “We do make frequent stops so you don’t really get dropped,” John says. “Everybody rides at their own pace.”
For information on upcoming Sunday rides, please telephone John Birzten at 332-3768.
Photo right: Long Riders’ Founder Arrington McCardy.
