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Tour de Fresno PRPOOR  Festival & Charity Bike Ride

Exciting weekend!  Explore the Heartland of America; the Fruit Basked of the World!  Ride through the bounty of the countryside, with rest stops in numerous cities and celebrate centuries old custom of making ROOB – grape molasses from valley’s harvest on an open bone fire in an ancient tradition way! 

And of course Beer and Wine Garden awaits you!

With great excitement we announce the 12th annual Tour de Fresno charity ride, scheduled on Saturday September 19, 2020 at California Armenian Home grounds. This year however, you are joining forces with another weekend festivities – locally known as PRPOOR!

You will enjoy a true weekend of festivities in celebration of the Valley’s bounty – riding through the vineyards and orchards, appreciate great hospitalities at various Fresno County city rest stops, and enjoy the festivities all day long at the finish line! Meanwhile later at night have the unique opportunity to observe how the native people of the Armenian Plato (later known as Asia Minor and Anatolia) celebrated the tradition of a great ancient practice of cooking grape molasses, that in Armenian is called ROOB – [pronounced as in syrub, sy-rub,  sweet-rub].   You will also have the exclusive chance to taste an all-naturally processed grape molasses – the ROOB!* 

Register now, and enjoy these festivities where ample foods, beer garden, music, dance and entertainment awaits you starting on Friday, September 18 and through Saturday, September 19.  

On Friday, riders could have optional special pasta dinner to be served at 6pm.  On that night, pre- treated/cured pigs will be placed in earth deep pits to begin the slow cooking process for Saturday night festivities.  (Please note: proceeds from the festivities will support local elementary school, hence the entry fee for general public is $5.00 per person. However, FREE entry pass will be granted to the cyclist).

On Saturday, September 19, late registration opens at 5:30 am through 6:45 am.

Prior to the start of the ride you will have the fun of watching the crashing of freshly harvested grapes in the ancient, old fashion way! This is the first stage of a day-long process of making the ROOB.  

All rides will start at 7:00 am; whereas the family rout will begin at 9:00am.

As part of your registration package, upon return to the finish line you will have your choice of freshly cooked chicken or beef kabab with rice pilaf, green beans, salad and water/soda. Vegetable plates will be available as well.  Music, dance, beer garden and entertainment will continue.

Meanwhile the crashed grape juice will be processed in several stages on an open bone fire. Later at night when the foam – PRPOOR – is formed, it will be ripe time for you to taste the freshly made ROOB!   

The evening and the meals are open to the public with an additional fee. You may think of bringing your family and friends to join in celebrating these ancient, centuries old traditions. A spread of delicious gourmet food will be available all night long!  So will the live performances by entertainment groups, drinks, music and dance.  You will observe the ceremonial presentation of the slow, deep soil cooked meal out of the pits, placed on large trays and carried out by local Boy Scouts and youth group members on pedestals.  A mock traditional wedding celebration presented by a Los Angeles based performing group will follow prior the PRPOOR reaches its climax at 8:30pm.

On-Line Registration is open now – take advantage of the early bird discounted fees and sign up!

Start practicing for this all valley flat century fun ride! 

*ABOUT ROOB

This all natural grape molasses syrup, became so popular that it was used as sweetener and spread from Armenian Plato, [where our common forefather Noah planted his first vineyards], to other nationalities such as Persians, Greeks and Balkans, to the Arab world, to Turkic people and others around the world.    

As the Armenians call it Roob, today various nationalities name the syrup in their native languages. For example Persians refer to it as Rob or Doshap, Greeks call it Pekmezi or Pekimezi; it’s known as Dibs or Dibis in the Arab world, and Pekmez or Bekmez in Turkish dialects as it was commonly known during Ottoman Empire.  Over the centuries communities came up with their creative variations adding mixed fruit taste and adopting it as part of their cuisine. 

Commercially produced grape molasses are available at local Armenian or Mediterranean delicatessens.  It could be consumed in various ways: by mixing the Roob / sy-rup with tahini or yogurt to your taste; use it as part of your salad dressing formula; where others mix it with tahini and pizza-like dough and bake as tahini bread.   

One of my childhood memories that I recall was of winter months when along with my brothers , we used to gather clean cups of newly piled snow from our yard, drizzle the sweet ROOB on top and enjoy the all-natural snow-cone!  So next winter when you are up in the snow covered high Sierras…

Sign up now and save!  Registration fee will go up each month.   Take advantage of the low, early bird prices.  You will have a great time, meet new people and possibly befriend them for life!

 

Explore California’s Year Round Playground!Tour de Fresno 2012 Jersey

Join us on September 19th for the 12th Annual Tour de Fresno PRPOOR Festival & Charity Bike Ride Century, Metric Century, Recreational Six Cities County and Scenic tour bike ride.  The ride will start from California Armenian Home in South-East of City of Fresno.  Riders will head to Lincoln Park, City of Fowler, located just few miles south of Downtown Fresno and the opportunity to ride through 9-city tour of Fresno County including Fresno, Fowler, Selma, Kingsburg, Parlier, Reedley, Orange Cove, Sanger, and Clovis. The Century and Metric Century rides covering 100 and 61.5 miles throughout Fresno County cities, farmlands and rural residential neighborhoods.

Your participation will help promote Fresno’s continued efforts to transform Fresno to bicycle friendly city.

Draft map routes of the rides are provided on our web site, pending final city approval.

Just want to be part of the biking fun without the hills?

You can also take the 48.5-mile Six Cities Ride, which includes Fowler, Selma, Kingsburg, Parlier, and Sanger. We are also offering a comfortable 20-mile ride for the beginners as well as for families who would like to ride along with their children. Rest stops and full SAG support will be provided on all of our rides. Fowler Boy Scouts will serve the End of the Ride lunch at the California Armenian Home.