SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — It’s a pre-holiday tradition among local cyclists to get out and ride for a cause.
The bike trail at Spencer Park in Sioux Falls is quiet this morning, but cyclists will be out in force Saturday celebrating Cranksgiving.
“We’re going to go out into our community and bring back goods that are needed,” Spoke-N-Sport owner Peter Oien said.
Spoke-N-Sport owner Peter Oien says it’s part scavenger hunt, part race, as participants ride from grocery store to grocery store collecting everything from canned goods to diapers.
“Items need to come from multiple places so you can’t just show up at Hy-Vee and clean the shelves off, you need to go to multiple places,” Peter Oien said. “The list has some assigned point values to it and then we also have shopping locations. We like to promote local businesses, so things like the Sioux Falls Co+op get higher point totals as well for purchasing items from there,” Oien added.
At the end of the day, the bounty of food will be donated to Feeding South Dakota.
“This time of year, money is always tight, you have increased heating bills, the cost of gas is way up, so there’s a lot of need in our community for an organization like Feeding South Dakota and we’re happy to help out in any way that we can,” Peter Oien said.
“We all know people are hungry and a basic need of having their belly full is finding a place to get it and this is a good interjection of people’s efforts to make that work for everyone,” volunteer Jon Oien said.
Jon Oien is a volunteer and Peter’s dad. He says he’s been biking for more than 60 years and enjoys the challenge of Cranksgiving.
“You kind of get it in your blood that ‘let’s get to the next store and get something else, and let’s get to the next store’, but you also have to figure out how much can you carry,” Jon Oien said.
And while they attempt to top last year’s total of 900 pounds donated, Peter encourages everyone to abide by the rules of the road.
“Take care of yourself and those around you, make sure that you’re following all the traffic laws,” Peter Oien said.
Cranksgiving begins with check-in at 11:00 Saturday morning at Spoke-N-Sport on Cliff Avenue, followed by the event at noon.
