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Bike Virginia will give a boost to Culpeper and Orange counties' economies this summer Date published: 2/27/2009 By Cathy Jett WANT TO BOOST the Then there's an event this summer designed with you in mind. It's Bike Virginia 2009, which is being sponsored by BikeWalk Virginia and The Journey Through Hallowed Ground. The five-day event will kick off with a social and concert on June 19 in Charlottesville, then wind through Culpeper and its surrounding countryside before ending with a celebration June 23 in the town of Orange. More than 1,300 people--from senior citizens to families with small children--have signed up so far, and up to 2,000 bicyclists are expected to take part. That's the cap for the event, which showcases history, scenery, good company and entertainment. It's also meant to support programs across the state that make biking, walking and other human-powered, easy-on-the-Earth pursuits safer and more accessible, according to the event's Web site, bikevirginia .org. But Bike Virginia is a stimulus plan of sorts, too. According to a study conducted by VCU in 2005, the annual tours pump between $2.5 million and $3 million into the economies of the places participants pass through, said event director Kim Berry. This is the second time that Culpeper has been included, and its hotels already are completely booked for June 20 and 21, said Beth Burns, the town's tourism director. These include both the Best Western at 791 Madison Road and the new Holiday Inn Express & Suites opening nearby on March 10. Area restaurants are being warned to have extra staff and food on hand to serve the bicyclists who haven't signed up for the event's prepaid food plan, and downtown retailers are getting ready for those participants who are bound to want to do some shopping. "Bike Virginia makes it easy for folks to shop because they can bring their purchases to Bike Virginia [support staff], who keep it," Burns said. "They hook back up the last day to get their packages back." Culpeper, which is celebrating its 250th anniversary this year, will hold a block party for both bicyclists and the public June 20 at the train depot. There'll be live music, a birthday cake, food vendors and a beer and wine garden.
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