Ruoff rising from ashes in 2009
December 2nd, 2008 2:20 pm · 5 comments
Local bicycle racing promoter Rich Ruoff announced over the weekend that he has redesigned the former RedRoseRaces.com website and he promised a schedule of races from his new company, “All that is Good.”
Ruoff promises to post a 2009 race schedule on Sunday on www.allthatisgood.org.
“From the Tour de Ephrata to the Tour of Lancaster County and many more Super one-day road races look for a fantastic 2009 season and beyond,” Ruoff wrote in an e-mail sent to previous race participants.
Ruoff had operated Lancaster-based Red Rose Races until the beginning of June when controlling partner David Butterworth pulled the plug on what he said was a money-losing operation. At the time, Red Rose Races was the largest bicycle race promoter in the Mid-Atlantic region and one of the largest in the country. It’s sudden collapse sent the local racing season into a tailspin. (For more details, see “RRR: Ruoff’s side” and “RRR: Butterworth’s side” under the Quick Links at right.)
Following RedRoseRaces’ demise, both Ruoff and Butterworth promoted a few races individually. Local cycling clubs also stepped in to fill the gap left in the racing calendar.
Butterworth has already listed three races he will hold in 2009 through his company, Pro-Am Cycling Events. Those races are the Union Grove Road Race, May 9; PSU Harrisburg Criterium, May 25; and the Brownstown Road Race on June 27.
Local races and other bicycling events will be listed in the “Cycling Events Calendar,” under Quick Links, as the information becomes available.
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Tags: Lancaster · business · season · races · cycling · sports
There are currently 5 comments on this blog postView Topic | Comment on this blogArtie See
12/2/08
2:16 PM | Fortunately, no bicycle races in downtown Lancaster.
We don't need the cost to taxpayers, nor the inconvenience. |
mcslain
12/2/08
10:19 PM | Artie See... you seem to be what the kids like to call... "a hater." It must be fun to hate cyclists... you are no doubt a joy to hang out with. Whoa the inconvenience of a bicycle race once a year on a few city streets. Whoa the huge tax burden of a small event in the city. Why ever have events in the city if they cost anything? Bah humbug!
FWIW, I don't think any of these races run by Ruoff cost tax payers a dime. I believe you are confusing them with the large pro race that used to be held in the city. |
Artie See
12/3/08
6:17 AM | Artie See... you seem to be what the kids like to call... "a hater." It must be fun to hate cyclists... you are no doubt a joy to hang out with. Whoa the inconvenience of a bicycle race once a year on a few city streets. Whoa the huge tax burden of a small event in the city. Why ever have events in the city if they cost anything? Bah humbug!
I don't hate cyclists. I hate $60,000 or more of my tax dollars going to provide city services so I can be forced to drive the whole way around Lancaster to get to my home downtown.
Inconvenience? Try it yourself sometime. Taxes? You should see my tax bill.
You're right, my problem is with the "professional" bicycle races. If Ruoff were to organize a "small event" that would be no more cost and no more inconvenience than the several foot races held in downtown Lancaster, I would have few objections. |
mcslain
12/5/08
2:00 PM | >Inconvenience? Try it yourself sometime.
Do you really think you are the only one driving a car around Lancaster? I "try it myself" every day. I tell you, the amount of times I have had to even slow down like three or four seconds for bicyclists are very very few. And for the bike race, it simply is not an inconvenience of any note. It is one day, in a set area, with primarily a rolling road block. You need to be really itching to be annoyed to be annoyed by this. Some people love to complain though... it gives them a sense of purpose I guess. But truth is the bike race is no more incovienient than say...a 4th of July parade. But I bet you don't complain about that. You know why? Cause you approve of one, but you don't approve of the other. Your a classic hater...
> Taxes? You should see my tax bill.
Waa waa waaa... cry me a river. If you think taxes are so bad go complain to your representatives. This forum however is a cycling blog, and this may be a difficult concept for you, but cyclists are generally in favor of cycling races. When you complain on a cycling blog read primarily by cyclists no doubt, your just being a troll, and your complaints are misdirected.
>You're right, my problem is with the "professional" bicycle races.
Maybe the city realizes that cycling is positive activity, and that promoting cycling in downtown Lancaster can lead to healthy activity for residents, less congestion, less pollution, less parking trouble, etc etc. Also, of note is that cycling is a great boom to Lancaster's economy through regional tourism, and then the many other semi-local PA, MD, DEL, NY residents who drive in here to ride (or race) and then spend money. A prime example of this is the $100,000 plus in donations the Lancaster Bicycle Club gives back to the community each year after its fundraising Covered Bridges ride. You should check out this web page: http://www.lancasterbikeclub.org/donations.php
>I hate $60,000 or more of my tax dollars going to provide city services so I can be forced to drive >the whole way around Lancaster to get to my home downtown.
Newsflash. It isn't $60,000 of your tax money. Your share is likely around a dollar. I'm not sure about that 60K figure either.. If you have a link to information on the finances of the PRO race, I would be intersted in seeing it. Certainly city services cost money, but then city services also exist for a reason. To be utilized to help the community. I don't think this is the time to discuss pros vs cons of Pro races in the city however, it seems like a digression. This blog post was about the Ruoff races... a different issue entirely. And the fate of the Pro races has already been decided regardless.
-mcslain |
Artie See
12/5/08
4:24 PM | First of all, I did admit my problem was with the professional bicycle race.
Second of all, your comments show you probably don't live anywhere near downtown.
And for the bike race, it simply is not an inconvenience of any note. It is one day, in a set area, with primarily a rolling road block.
If this were to be the actual situation, I would have no problem with that. But the professional bicycle race, specifically when it was held on a weekday, became a real pain in the @$$. When Rick Gray moved both the amateur and professional race to a Sunday, it wasn't nearly so bad, since traffic was so light.
Let me make this perfectly clear: I would have no problem with an amateur race held on a weekend, with "primarily a rolling road block" along most of its route.
Satisfied? |
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