Mark Tognazzini makes some valid points on how the Ironman competition can be better organized to lessen the impact on the citizens and visitors to Morro Bay and the businesses in town (“Displaced visitors,” June 1). Morro Bay was not the only community affected. One may recall that the bike ride route was on Highway 1 from Morro Bay to San Simeon and back.
For the people of Cambria, this was quite the inconvenience, as traffic was a nightmare for those who had to get to work on that Saturday or attend family functions, live their lives, etc. One can only imagine if the Fire Department had to respond to a house or forest fire. Did Cambria benefit financially from this event?
In my opinion, the 54-mile ride should have been restricted to only the four-lane portion of Highway 1, and not permitted to be an up-and-back on the two-lane portion. Other bike events have come down Highway 1 in the past, but they were all going in only one direction.
Hopefully the route for next year will take this into consideration, as the bike portion of the Ironman is not a “tour,” but only a distance and time challenge, which can be held anywhere. Back and forth on the four- lane sounds like a much more appropriate place. What will happen next year when the full length of Highway 1 from Big Sur will probably be open and be visited by tourists from around the world?
Marvin Josephson
Cambria
This article appears in Jun 8-18, 2023.
