An inaugural biking event in Jefferson defied the odds with barely 50-degree temperatures and strong wind gusts on Saturday, but still managed to have a successful turnout.

Jefferson Matters: A Main Street and Chamber Community Events Team Chair Philip Heisterkamp said there were over 150 bike riders who participated in the first-ever Bike Ride Around Greene County Saturday. He described his initial thoughts about the turnout.

“We were ecstatic! When you do an event out of the blue, cold like this, you never really know what to expect. So our expectations were low and this succeeded everything that we had thought we could muster.”

Heisterkamp says the event is good for the county as well as the restaurants that were designated as the official “stops” along the route. 

“I think real business is made on repeat business, repeat visits. You’ve got to bring people in and see how cool our places are. And then where restaurants are really going to make money is when they become known for their staples (dishes) at their restaurant. So I’m excited that people can repeat by attending today, hitting them again, and then coming back in the future. Again, just getting on the map and let people know what we have here.”

Heisterkamp believes this event will become an annual trip with hopefully different stops each year mixed in.