Vision Produce Companies is proud to announce our Bronze Sponsorship of The Tour De Fresh. “With 40 riders and a goal of raising funds for 40 salad bars (over 113,000) to place in schools across the US, these sponsors and donors are positioned to make a positive impact on thousands of our nation's youth. In addition, the Tour de Fresh companies and brands aim to inspire and motivate people to adopt the healthy lifestyles promoted by their nutritious products.”
Additional information available at http://tourdefresh.com/
George Uribe, one of our sales managers in our New Jersey affiliate Vision Import Group will be riding in this year’s Tour de Fresh. Below are some interesting facts on his cycling history:
“When I was a kid in Colombia, I would climb some hills with my dad in order to get a good view of the passing cyclists on races coming through my town, Pereira. I loved the sport as it was very popular where I came from. My family and I moved to this country and cycling wasn’t nearly as popular here as it was there so I seldom saw anyone on a race bike until I was in high school where I befriended a fellow from the Bronx, NY. We made plans to meet one weekend where he came to my house in Queens (30 miles away) on his bicycle. I remember him mentioning that he rode but never thought that he would be riding over. Well, it certainly brought back great memories and a desire in taking up the sport. A few months went by and a neighbor of mine’s super in the building he lived, sold me a used “Bottechia” that apparently some other tenant had left behind? He sold it to me for $150 which was far less than a new one (about $1000 in 1982) would have cost me.
I rode for years through college and had a great time riding with clubs in Manhattan where I lived after. By this time (1990’s) cycling had become a much more popular sport. We would leave from Manhattan to Bear Mountain (55 miles each way Hilly) and to Montauk Point (135 miles each way flat) on Saturday and Sunday mornings – truly great fun.
In 2007, married a few years and a bit heavier in weight than the normal 145 to 150lbs I was years past , I went out on an early ride and after a short 20 miles began to feel tightness in my chest, something very unusual and uncomfortable that I had never felt before. I complained to a buddy of mine as to how I felt and began turning around to head back home as the last thing that I wanted was to slow everyone down. My buddy didn’t allow me to continue riding as he said that I did not look well and insisted that I call for a ride which I did which took me to the hospital. Even after getting to the hospital, I was not sure anything was too wrong until tests quickly proved otherwise. I remember the horrible experience being told by the doctor that I was having a heart attack! I’ll never forget shaking my head in tears, asking how my bicycling, so simple, healthy and loved so much could come to hurt me? The doctor was quick in replying that my bicycling absolutely did not hurt me but instead saved my life! As the heart attack that I had, with the genes that I carry, it would have been much, much stronger had I not been riding for so long.
Well, I now have 3 stents, a defibrillator and a new titanium hip implanted two years ago but riding more comfortably than I have in a very long time.” -George Uribe
Source: Vision Produce Companies
