Greene County: Host of 2000 Masters National Road Championship This year Greene County has been chosen to host the Masters National Road Championships bicycle race. Hundreds of riders and racing fans will be visiting Linton and Greene County for one of the largest bicycle races in the country. We wondered what Greene County had to offer, so we visited to find out for ourselves. Some beautiful Greene County countryside that cyclists will get to enjoy The Masters National Road Championship race is sanctioned by the United States Cycling Federation, and the classification of “Masters” refers to the age group of the racers - 30 years old and over. The Masters National Cycling Championships is divided into two parts, the track and road events. The track events will be held at the Major Taylor Velodrome in Indianapolis, and the road events in Greene County. The Major Taylor Velodrome (French for bicycle racetrack) is a 333 1/3 meter concrete track with 28 degree banking in the turns. The participants use special bicycles with single fixed gears and no brakes for Velodrome racing. The Major Taylor Velodrome is one of only 17 velodromes in the United States, and is considered one of the best. The track events will take place July 20-24th. For more information on the race see www.usacycling.org or www.majortaylor.org. The road races will take place in Linton from July 25th through the 30th, rain or shine. The Time Trials, to be held on the 26th, is a “race against the clock”, where 300 participants race for fastest times. The Criterium is a circuit race to be held on a small course entirely closed to traffic. This course will be 800 meters to 5 kilometers, and will be held at Humphrey Park in Linton. The Criterium will last for two days. The Road Race, which will held on July 29th and 30th will have the most participants, with some age categories having up to 120 racers. The distances for these road races will be from 24 to 64 miles, taking racers on a course which covers a large part of the county. Greene County was chosen because of their excellent pavement and a variety of conditions like some fast flats, good climbs, and rolling hills. Linton's Humphrey Park All of the road races will begin and end in Humphrey Park, and will take riders on state highways and county roads. The roads will not be completely closed off to traffic, but will have “rolling enclosures” with police escorts at the beginning and end of the pack. Volunteers are still needed, so if you could help contact the numbers at the bottom of the page. The longest course, 64 miles, will take riders on Highway 54, Highway 59, go through Sandborn, Lyons, Switz City, Bloomfield, Worthington, and Jasonville. The finish line will be at Humphrey’s Park. At speeds expected to reach 10 to 55 miles an hour, racers may not be able to fully take in the scenery, but Greene County’s rolling hills, rivers and farms will certainly provide a nice backdrop for the race. For information on qualifications or to volunteer, contact Linton-Stockton Chamber of Commerce at 812-847-4846 or [email protected], or for information on events at the Major Taylor Velodrome call 317-327-8356 or email [email protected]. Visiting Greene County Humphreys Park, where the race will start and finish, is a 21-acre park that offers something for everyone: playground equipment, tennis and basketball courts, horseshoe pits and picnic area. There is also miniature golf and a swimming pool. The stone buildings were built in the 1930’s by the WPA. The bandshell was built in 1937. This bandshell was built in 1937 by the WPA The annual Linton Freedom Festival is June 30th through July 8, 2000, and on July 4th, “Indiana’s largest Independence Day Parade” will highlight the festival. Other Greene County festivals include the Hymera Old Settler’s Reunion and the Bluegrass Music Festival at Sunset Park, each held in May. The Merom Bluff Chautauqua and Shelburn Old Fashioned Days are both held in June, and Sullivan celebrates Independence Day with a festival the 2nd through 4th of July. There is also a Hymera Seafood Festival each September, and the Scotland Festival and Parade, the Shakamak-Jasonville Homecoming and Dugger Coal Festival Parade also in September. For more information on Sullivan events call 812-268-4836. Another popular event is the annual Phil Harris Celebrity Golf Tourney. Phil Harris was a popular radio and television celebrity and bandleader from the 1930s through the ‘50 who was from Linton. The tournament, held in memory of Harris, awards scholarships to graduating high school students. Greene County also offers some great outdoor activities. The area was strip mined years ago, leaving over 1000 lakes in Linton. Greene County is considered a “Fisherman’s Paradise” by many. There are over 150 public lakes ranging from five to 1,550 acres. Sunset Lake/Rock Pond Sunset Lake/Rock Pond is one of the clearest lakes in Indiana, and is a great place to SCUBA dive or snorkel. On a clear day visibility is good to around 35 feet deep. SCUBA lessons are available, and SCUBA gear rental is just $30.00. The lake features a sand entry, diving platform, wreck diving and a navigation course. When there are no divers, visitors to the park can fish for bass, red ear, and blue gill. Camping is also available, with primitive camping just $2.00 and with electric and water hookups just $5.00. Call 812-847-8513. The Linton Conservation Club is also available for fishing and camping, but also features mountain bike trails for both beginners and pros. Contact 812-847-2103. The Black Creek Muzzle Loaders have been preserving the historic craft of black powder and muzzle loading rifles for over 20 years. They have shooting the second Sundays of each month. Call 812-847-9615. Linton also is home to a popular gun club, the Triple “H”. They offer sporting clays, 5-stand, doubles/25 pair, skeet, woble trap, and trap. They offer 15 Registered Trap and 7 Registered Sporting clay events this year. 812-847-3340. This mural is from Linton Bakersfield Raceway Park offers Go-Kart races every Saturday evening from May 7 through October 1st, and Midgets, Stocks and Dwarf Cars each Friday night through September 29th. If you’re an outdoor enthusiast, as their slogan says, “You’ll Like Linton!” You don’t have to travel far to find great fishing, mountain biking and camping - and now, great bicycle racing! Contact Linton-Stockton Chamber of Commerce at 812-847-4846. <back to top>

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