HICKORY, NC - After training, planning, and fundraising, 38 riders collected in front of Lowes Foods in Hickory, NC, geared up and ready to ride for produce.
"Thank you so much for doing this; remember, you're doing it for the kids, so thank you and have fun!" Tom Stenzel, President and CEO of United Fresh, announced to the procession before it pulled out to start the 75 mile first leg of the four day trek to Atlanta, GA.
Despite frost on the rooftops, foggy breath, and being up as early as 6 a.m., it was a fun, playful atmosphere for the starting line to 2015's Tour de Fresh.
"We had a chilly, but enthusiastic, start to today's ride and our whole team is enjoying the sunshine, fall colors and hills," Cindy Jewell, Vice President of Marketing for California Giant Berry Farms, tells me. "We are looking forward to a delicious, and well-deserved dinner tonight, sponsored by our friends at New Sprout Organic Farms at the Pisgah Brewing Company in Black Mountain, NC."
Well-deserved is right. Steep hills and narrow roads makeup the beautiful North Carolina countryside as members of the industry from executives of companies to employees at the start of their careers join the 275 mile, bi-state ride.
The atmosphere at each stop, however, is all jokes and fun. Whether it's the strong support crew, made up four vans and two cars that wait periodically at pit stops to provide food and water, the mechanical team that checks every bike every night for safety, or the group supporting each other toward a good cause, it made for an enthusiastic first day.
As of 5:30 PM (Pacific) on October 19, the Tour de Fresh has raised $137,418 towards placing salad bars in schools across the country, a number that continues to increase even in crunch time. Stay tuned as we continue to follow these amazing riders into PMA Fresh Summit on Thursday, October 22.
