Melissa McClendon
It’s been 17 years since the first DAM J.A.M. toured through Mayes County. On Saturday, bicyclists from five states will be riding county roads for the annual DAM J.A.M. Bicycle Tour.
Each year, cyclists gather on the first Saturday after Labor Day to take a 30, 50, 71 or 101 mile tour of northeast Oklahoma. The tour begins and ends in the heart of Pryor at Whitaker Park. It takes riders through Mayes and Delaware counties along miles of shoreline.
A record number of cyclists are expected to turn out for the event. Sponsored by the Pryor Area Chamber of Commerce, Grand River Dam Authority and Robert’s Auto Center, the tour will begin at 7:45 a.m. and 8 a.m., rain or shine.
“Many people don’t know that Pryor is less than 50 miles from more than 2,500 miles of shoreline,” said Chamber Director Barbara Hawkins. “It’s known as one of the prettiest rides. It’s one of my favorite events ... because it shows off the beauty of northeast Oklahoma and the spirit of the people.”
Along the routes, cyclists will have nine chances to stop at official rest stops. Century Bank has sponsored the Cole-Strang Road stop and the Strang Association has a stop at the Strang Community Building. Century 21 Neokla and the Optimist Club will sponsor a stop at Wickliffe school. Grand Lake Area Chamber of Commerce will sponsor the Tia Juana area stop and Mayes County Amateur Radio Club is sponsoring the Eucha stop. North point Ford is sponsoring the Kenwood stop that will be manned by Thunderbird Youth Academy.
The stop at Chimney Rock is sponsored by Beta Sigma Phi. A stop located at Lakeland Reality on Highway 20 and Boatman road will be sponsored by Lakeland Reality and the Lake Hudson Association. The First Christian Presbyterian Church will man the 69A stop next to the Pryor Creek Golf Course. The stop is sponsored by Integrated Insurance Services. The Adair Boy Scouts will man the 470 Road stop on True and Airport Road. Pryor Creek Music Festivals will sponsor the site.
“We love our rest stops,” said Hawkins. “We have a reputation for having the best rest stops.”
Other businesses also sponsoring the event are Brown & Brown Insurance, Telecommunication Specialists, Orchid Paper Products, Tom’s River Trail and Event Weather.
Event Weather, owned by Mike Orange, will be keeping an eye on the weather with the help of the Amateur Radio Club.
The Amateur Radio Club also plays another important role at the event.
“We have people out on the routes all day,” said Hawkins. “We know how many riders on every route thanks to the Amateur Radio Club.”
Event coordinators are making the event a little greener this year by not handing out packet or unnecessary plastic bags. There will also be no advertising paper. Instead of a “pick up packet” riders will receive a “T-shirt packet.”
