Today we’d like to introduce you to Bob Stokes.
Bob, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
The Galveston Bay Foundation has been around since 1987. We are celebrating our 30th anniversary this year. But I think the focus for this interview is on Bike Around the Bay. Bike Around the Bay began in 2007. It’s a two day, 170 mile bike ride around Galveston Bay. We started this event to highlight the beauty of the bay. Riders spend two full days riding on or near the Bay and see if from several different sides. We began the ride in 2007 with 453 riders in our first year, Since then, the ride has grown to 1500 riders and is arguably one of the best bike rides in Texas. Day 1 begins at Royal Purple Speedway outside of Baytown and riders head east and south through Chambers County. They hit the Bolivar Peninsula and ride it from beginning to end, where they board the ferry for Galveston. Riders finish with a ride along the Galveston seawall before spending the night at Moody Gardens or one of the satellite hotels. On day two, riders set out and head out of Galveston over the causeway and then head through Texas City where they pass the Texas City Dike and ride along Skyline Drive along the Bay. From there they head north along the west side of Galveston Bay through residential communities like Kemah, Seabrook, and La Porte. They cross the Fred Hartman Bridge near the end of the ride before heading back to Royal Purple Speedway where they finish.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The ride has seen slow and steady growth. We hit a speed bump in year two in 2008 when we had to cancel the ride due to Hurricane Ike. Rather than a “Bike Around the Bay” that year, we organized a “Clean Up Around the Bay” where we had the first large group of volunteers to clean up Galveston Island State Park after the hurricane. We also moved from our initial sponsor, LyondellBasell, to our current ride sponsor, Shell, in 2010.
Please tell us about Galveston Bay Foundation.
We are the largest non-profit organization to work across the entire Galveston Bay complex on efforts to preserve and protect the natural resources of Galveston Bay. We have programs in conservation, education, advocacy and research that help ensure the bay remains a productive place that we can all enjoy for generations to come.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
No, Bike Around the Bay, has been successful since day one. It remains a great outreach tool for the Galveston Bay Foundation as it brings a new group of people to see and experience the bay every year and it has now also turned into a successful fundraiser for the organization.
Pricing:
- Early registration begins at $40
- In addition, riders must raise a minimum of $250 in donations to support their two-day ride
Contact Info:
- Address: 1100 Hercules, Ste. 200
- Website: www.bikearoundthebay.org and www.galvbay.org
- Phone: 2813323381
- Email: gbf@galvbay.org
- Instagram: @gbayfoundation
- Facebook: @GalvestonBayFoundation
- Twitter: @GBayFoundation
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