by Shannon Butler How many of you history nerds are also avid cyclists? It was certainly comforting to discover that local bicycle shops are considered essential during our current crisis (due to the fact that they service bicycles which are considered a form of personal and commercial transportation). There is nothing quite as freeing as hopping on a bike and heading out onto the open road or rail trail and going as far as you can (until your rear end starts to hurt and then you might question the length of the ride). Long ago in the days before automotive racing, football, and basketball, bicycle races were considered to be the premier sporting event watched by thousands. In 1883, local drugstore owner Frank J. Schwartz (seen on his Penny-Farthing Bicycle to the right) took first place at the major race of the Dutchess County Fair. Back then, bicycle races were the big attraction to see and just as popular as horse racing, perhaps because they could sometimes be more dangerous. Bicycle races at the Poughkeepsie riding park were a very common thing to see on summer nights (You can see the Poughkeepsie bicycle club’s 1893 photo on the right). For example, [...]