October 6, 2008 – Here is the latest news from Project Rwanda. Project Rwanda is committed to furthering the economic development of Rwanda through initiatives based on the bicycle as a tool and symbol of hope.

The wooden-bike-less Wooden Bike Classic 2008
This year’s event was located in in Ruhengeri, one of the largest cities in Rwanda. Bikers who favor rough terrain will immediately take note of this incredibly mountainous region and the wildlife adventurers will find the hills are alive with sound of mountain gorillas, the most in the district. As the entry way to Volcanoes National Park, Ruhengeri happens to be the most popular tourist destination in the country. What a fabulous location to promote tourism no?

Project Rwanda hit the ground running with a bike tour through the lake region. New comers to the group were Martha Allen, Sarah Peterson, Carl and Rita Yarborough. The regulars included Gregg Bettis, Jock Boyer, Tom Ritchey. Winding through Ruhengeri, Gisenyi and Lake Kivu, the tour showcased magnificent landscapes, picturesque lakeside villages, and beautiful weather throughout.

The day before the race events were to start, a press conference was held at Bourbon Coffee’s newest location in Kigali. About 20 reporters showed up, most of the media reps were at another location where President Kagame was speaking, an unfortunate timing issue for sure. The press conference was followed by a “Meet & Greet” with Team Rwanda. Abraham and Adrien talked about their lives before and after becoming part of this historical national team. An amazing story of how these unknown cyclists have become local celebrities and ambassadors of hope for a nation working to move forward.

The first event on Saturday was the mountain bike race, participants included Team Rwanda (both A and B teams), ex-pats, locals, and visitors. Again Team Rwanda demonstrated their prowess and dominated the competition. The single-speed race that followed was brimming with intensity as eager racers formed endless lines to register for this event. We were fortunate to have strong sponsor support so the cash and prizes for the events were a big draw. MTN Calling cards, cell phones and LED lights from Princeton Tech were a hit, and the coveted grand prize was a brand new Coffee Bike. The top 10 finishers of the single speed race were also allowed to participate in the Coffee Bike race. These bikes were designed to carry heavy loads but hey – that’s work, lets see how fast they are. Minus the coffee bags, these things can move.

Read more here.

Positive Spin
Written by Jason Gay, Outside Magazine, September 2008

Almost fifteen years after the genocide, tiny Rwanda is suddenly a hot adventure destination, the new darling of multinational investors, and, says mountain-bike legend Tom Ritchey, one extra-long bicycle short of a comeback. By Jason Gay.

Here’s the thing about the Wooden Bike Classic, in Rwanda: It’s not really a bike race. Well, there are bikes. Sorta. They’re more like prehistoric scooters, carved from eucalyptus trees, with wobbly wooden wheels, wooden handlebars, a wooden platform for your feet, and a splintery wooden seat that’s best avoided if you want to have children someday. They look like they were stolen from Fred Flintstone’s garage, and though they’ve been pushed around Rwanda for as long as anyone can remember – hauling bananas, tea, coffee, beans, mangoes, plantains, oranges, chickens, goats, pigs, and whatever else can be lashed aboard – no one ever thought of racing them until Tom Ritchey rode into town.

Read more here.

www.projectrwanda.org