By DAVID BORAKS
DavidsonNews.net

Davidson police officer Melvin Waller hasn’t been bicycling regularly in recent years, but recently he found a cause that inspired him to get back to it. The 37-year-old officer and about 65 other riders, including colleagues from area police departments, are in the midst of a grueling 4-day, 500-mile ride from Charlotte to Washington, D.C., to honor officers who have died in the line of duty.

The Bike to DC ride includes officers ranging from hard-core cyclists to new and returning riders with a passion, including Officer Waller. The 5-year Davidson police veteran is riding in part to honor the memory of Mark Swaney, who died on Christmas Day 1997 in an exchange of gunfire that also killed a suspect on Davidson’s West Side.

The ride as a whole has been dubbed “500 Miles for Fred,” in memory of the late CMPD officer Fred Thornton, who died Feb. 25, 2011. This year’s ride comes just before National Police Week, May 13-19.

Riders left from Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department headquarters on Wednesday morning. They’ll arrive in Washington on Saturday. On Sunday, they’ll join a candlelight vigil at the National Law Enforcement Officers’ Memorial, where Officer Thornton’s name will be added.

Davidson’s Waller plans to take a rubbing from the memorial of Mark Swaney’s name.

Officer Waller said he was motivated to join the ride by the desire to honor fallen officers like Thornton and Swaney. “We’re giving blood, sweat and tears to remember officers fallen in the line of duty,” officer Waller said Thursday night, after a 118-mile ride from Asheboro to South Boston, Va.

Officer Waller was an “avid rider” about 10 years ago, but hasn’t spent a lot of time on a bike recently, he said. So he’s been training for the past three months with the help of John Finney, of Davidson’s Spirited Cyclist bicycle shop, which also has donated supplies for the Ride to DC. Mr. Finney also is along on the ride. (He’s from a law enforcement family: His dad is a retired state trooper.)

Riders have collected sponsorships to help pay for the cost of the ride, overnight stays and support. A portion of the money raised also will go to the Charlotte’s Finest Legacy Foundation, which provides scholarships for law enforcement students.

Officer Waller has raised more than $1,000 from local businesses and individual sponsors, and he’s still raising money as he rides.

“I just want to bring awareness to the sacrifice we give as police officers, and to the danger we go into every day,” Officer Waller said. “I’m in a lot of pain, but at the same time, those officers who lost their lives have sacrificed a lot more than what I’m sacrificing right now.”

WANT TO HELP?

To donate to the Ride to DC, click on the “donate” button on the web, at http://www.tricharlotte.com/images/policebikeride/howyoucanhelp.htm. Mention Officer Melvin Waller. Or make a check payable to Charlotte’s Finest Legacy Foundation with Officer Waller’s name in the memo line. Mail it to:

Bike to DC
c/o Ron Horton
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department
601 E. Trade St
Charlotte, NC 28202-2940

Davidson celebrates its 41st Town Day and the 175th anniversary of the town on Saturday, May 5, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with a festival of fun, community service, food from local restaurants, and entertainment on the Village Green. The day starts with an early morning 5K road race, this year to benefit Community School of Davidson. And there’s even a Town Day T-shirt for sale. Town officials are using the day to promote a variety of official programs, from pet licensing to bicycle safety. Read the full story

Lauren Blackburn, a Davidson planner for six years and the planning manager since 2010, is leaving to become director of the new N.C. Department of Transportation Division of Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation. Her last day will be April 20 and she starts her new job April 30.

Here’s an announcement from the Town of Davidson: Read the full story

At this time of year, when the weather is turning fine and we all want to be out on our bikes together, a little planning goes a long way toward making our family rides safe and fun for everyone. Our Go Out & Play columnist Sarah Matchett has some safety tips, and a few ideas of routes to ride on your next family bicycle outing. In HEALTH & FITNESS»

Also on Health & Fitness today: Read the full story

A letter from Davidson resident and bike shop owner Ty Burns

To the Editor:

I have given serious thought to the article that was recently published with regards to cycling in Davidson. (Feb. 17, 2012, Photo commentary: Is Davidson really bike friendly?”)

I am not sure any one person is truly an expert on whether Davidson is a bike friendly town.” But given that I live in Davidson, I own bike shops in Davidson, Huntersville and Mooresville, and I ride four to six days a week, I just might be in a position to offer a few thoughts. Read the full story

To the Editor:

Davidson claims to be a bicycling and walking kind of town, but some of our residents forget that. We in Davidson, unfortunately, know all too well the consequences of cars disregarding the rights of pedestrians and cyclists. Read the full story

Updated Sunday, 8 p.m.
About 425 cyclists – young and old, men and women, on road bikes and recumbent bikes – braved freezing temperatures Saturday morning at the 2012 Polar Bear Ride. The annual event is organized by the Rocky River Road Club and includes 100-kilometer and 50-kilometer rides through the countryside of Mecklenburg, Iredell, Rowan and Cabarrus counties.

The ride raised about $5,500 for the Ada Jenkins Center in Davidson, a regional community services center with free health and dental clinics, a food pantry, an after-school program and other social services.

Both rides started and finished at Ingersoll-Rand, off Beaty Street in Davidson.

“It was perfect weather for it, at this time of year,” said organizer Jim Mead, of the Rocky River Road Club. He said 58 members of the club volunteered for the day, providing support along the route and helping out at the start/finish.

Riders came from as far away as Illinois, West Virginia, Virginia and Texas. They included elite riders tuning up before the start of the racing season in a few weeks, Mr. Mead said.

While most riders enjoyed a nice ride in the countryside Saturday, those elite riders were riding hard. They average 23 mph over the 60 miles, he said.

More information about the ride or the club is at www.RockyRiverRoadClub.org.
GALLERY

See a gallery of photos from the ride by Ron Donson, http://www.donsonphoto.com/

Hundreds of cyclists are expected for Lake Norman’s 14th annual Polar Bear Ride on Saturday, Jan. 14, in Davidson. The Rocky River Road Club sponsors the half and full metric century bicycle rides through the North Mecklenburg/Lake Norman area, as a fundraiser for Davidson’s Ada Jenkins Center. Read the full story and find out how to register in HEALTH & FITNESS»