BAARC handled communications at:
Paul Bunyan Bicycle Tour of the Lakes
June 5, 1999

                Headquarters for the net control station for the operation was at one of the buildings at the Crow Wing County Fairgrounds.  The frequency used was south repeater on 145.130-.  

        Many BAARC operators showed up to handle communications at the event.  Of them, pictured from left to right are Terry May (KIØFW), George Swanson (KCØBH)(Net Control), Jim Shubert KCØANQ), Alan Scherburne (KCØBQP), John Meyers (W3MQD), John Luce WØJGY, and Ken Magloughlin (KAØJSW)(Event Coordinator).

        A huge thunderstorm predeeded the event.  In spite of this, bicyclists showed up to do the run. 

        Here is BAARC Net Control Operator George Swanson (KCØBH) dispatching hams along the bicycle routes.

Report from Ken (KAØJSW)

        County Fairgrounds, which was the headquarters of the 1999 Paul Bunyan Tour of the Lakes. This year's tour started there, went south around South Long Lake, up to the Green Lantern area on Hwy. #18, and there it split into the Long Route (75 miles) and the Short Route (35 miles).  The long route went northeast past Ruttger's Resort and north to Deerwood and then around Serpent Lake to Crosby and back to Deerwood before going south and west to Brainerd. The short route was inside the long route, but covered some of the same roads. Several rest stops, serving Gatorade along with fruit and pastries were set up around the two tours. This provided not only refreshing things to eat and drink, but also, to many, the physical rest they needed. With George, KC0BH,  in the headquarters building at the fairgrounds, hams were set up around the tours to keep track of problems that might arise, along with possible injuries and anything else that was out of the ordinary.  Everyone had something to report or was contacted to move to another location along the tour routes. Use of the 145.130- repeater proved the reliability of the repeater and about the only problems that were experienced involved hand-helds that had battery problems.

        Also involved in our operation were the following hams: Mel, N0FOO; Terry, KI0FW; John, W3MQD; Marty, W0UGV; Gene, K0TIW; Katie, KB0DKD; Jim, KC0ANQ; Alan, KC0BQP; Aaron, KC0ZVJ; Ken, KA0JSW; Chandra, KB0YXB; Pete, N0BLX and his other daughter, Kali.

        Comments from the Paul Bunyan Cyclist Club were all extremely complimentary and they are already talking about our participation in another tour in 2000!

        The BAARC Public Service Event Coordinator, for this event, was Ken Magloughlin, KAØJSW.   

From the Mailbag

Mr. Magloughlin:

Thank you very much for your excellent coverage of the Tour of the
Lakes bike ride. We appreciate your help a great deal. Please thank
all the other Hams as well. Their efforts helped us produce another
successful event this year.

Sincerely, Sharon Bodie
Secretary of Paul Bunyan Cyclists

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