Durham was the first of 13 stops on the Tour de Fat, which will head to Nashville, Tenn. next. This was also the first time that the festival has come to Durham and according to event host Matt Kowal, there was a great response. He said that over 500 riders participated in the bike ride, the most riders the festival has had in a new city.
"We like to go places where people like us, and we feel like people enjoy our beer here," Kowal said.
Those riding in the event were encouraged to dress up in costumes and ride 4 miles through downtown Durham, ending at Diamond View Park at American Tobacco Campus, where entertainment, food and, of course, beer from the New Belgium Brewing Co. was provided. All of the profits raised from the sale of beer and merchandise went to the North Carolina Active Transportation Alliance, Triangle Spokes Group and Durham Bike Co-op.
In addition to all the riders who came out, Durham resident Steve Hinkle handed over the keys to his 1992 Toyota Corolla in exchange for a commuter bike from New Belgium.
Steve, a Duke chapel minister, was chosen by New Begium for his winning video application, and he will spend the next year commuting on his new bike.
"He's gonna have a year of being car-free and tell us all about how it changes his life," Kowal said.
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