Mild weather welcomes Mother's Day 'walk, run, roll'

By P.J. GLISSON

[email protected]

Ironwood - Warm, sunny weather was a welcome participant in the 3rd Annual Mother's Day "walk, run, roll," sponsored Sunday in Ironwood by the Friends of the Iron Belle Trail. 

The afternoon event was based at the Historic Ironwood Depot, with untimed walkers, runners and bikers starting and ending wherever they wished on the nonmotorized trail.

Sam Davey and his wife, Anne, of Ironwood were in charge of the event and were busy in advance setting up refreshments supplied by Super One.

The Daveys had help from Carl and Enni Gregas of Bessemer.

Enni Gregas said last year's event began in Bessemer, and Davey said they hope to alternate starting points each year.

"We usually average between 40 and 70," said Davey of participants. "If not, we'll be eating lots of doughnuts."

Among Sunday's walkers was Ramona Collins of Ironwood. Collins has two sons, Travis and David, and said it was her first time at the event.

Maryanne Andresen of Ironwood tied her shoes while waiting for her mom, Catherine Parisian. "We're going to walk," she said, "and hopefully my two kids will come down and walk as well."

Andresen's children are David Andresen and Carolyn Warren. She and all her family are from Ironwood.

Andresen is a frequent trail user. "I'm part of the Friends of the Trail group," she said. "We try to do as many things on the trail as we can."

Returning from a bike ride were Jessica Gering and her mom, Donna Gering of Ironwood.

They had taken a long ride in both directions of the trail after Donna had just participated in Saturday's Red Bull 400 at Copper Peak.

The Sunday ride was an opportunity to spend time together before Jessica leaves town for an internship in mechanical engineering.

Also present was Doug Hippe of Ironwood, who is coordinating a wheelchair bike program to facilitate trail use by people who cannot walk or ride on their own.

Hippe said his wife, Lisa Kinney, is working with him toward the goal of scheduling assisted rides.

According to Hippe, the specialized bikes feature "a seat in the front for somebody who can't ride."

He said they are in the process of getting "pilots" trained to operate the bikes. "We really look forward to it," he said of the program he hopes will be operational as of mid-June.

The Iron Belle trail runs directly in front of the depot while a separate, motorized trail, known as "Trail 2," runs behind the depot, between it and the U.S. Post Office.