September 25, 2021 Issue, Page 11 of 22

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Serving Western Oklahoma Local girl heading to nationals Peddlers club holds group rides By Burgundy Lee Hanrahan he explains come from donations, which makes it all the more frustrating when people vandalize them. Jeff Jarel, owner of Garage Bicycle Works, says that he started Jarel says that as of right now, there's not an official roster or reg- working on bicycles professionally about three years ago and istration for Western Oklahoma Peddlers. He says that they have that next month will make two years since Garage Bicycle Works group rides every other week but that they’re hoping to eventual- was opened. He explained that Brandon Culver, a relative of his ly have them every week and that next year they're hoping to put wife’s, convinced he and another guy to complete a half Ironman a lot more emphasis on youth rides. The group rides on the trail triathlon, the Redman in Oklahoma City, several years ago. Jarel around Elk City Lake, beginning at the trail head located by Ga- laughed when he said “It’s one of the worst things I’ve ever done rage Bicycle Works. Jarel describes the trail as being “legitimately in my life. It hurt so bad, but I did complete it.” However, that’s great for all skills,” saying that there’s always a simpler way to what got him interested in bikes which led to him working on make it through the trail and that the club does not frown upon ByBurgundy Lee Hanrahan them out of his garage at home. That and the fact that he was hike-a-bike (hiking your bike through a spot rather than riding tired of having to travel so far to get to a bike shop convinced it), should you not care to go into the pits or other rougher spots Scarlett Allen, the five-year-old daughter of Nathan Allen of him to go to bike school in Colorado Springs, which he said was of the trails. He says that the club does ask that participants wear Elk City and Krissie Griffin of Hammon, is representing West- a hands-on, thorough three week course. He explained that the helmets and that no one comes to the group rides with training ern Oklahoma in the national level pedal tractor pull com- other guy in the shop, Adam, is also going through bike school. wheels equipped for safety reasons, as there’s too many ruts and petition on Saturday, Sept. 25 at The Corn Palace in Mitch- Jarel has also been the president of the Western Oklahoma Ped- holes that will tip a bike and rider. Jarel also explains that they ell, S.D. Scarlett qualified for nationals after winning second dlers club for the past two years. He says he’s pretty sure the club ride to the pace of the group and that if you fall behind, you won't place in her age division in the competition that was held at started in 1993, and shared that some of the original members get dropped, someone will always stick with you. the Southwest Farm & Home Expo back in April and then are still around. Of course, he shares, they've gotten a lot of new ‘The club does request that there are no e-bikes other than Class winning fourth place at the state level that was held at the members since then and COVID helped get more people out on A, which are pedal assisted. The next group ride is scheduled for Cleveland County Fair on Sept. 11. bikes as well. He explained that over the years the club has gotten Saturday, Oct. 2 at 4 p.m., meeting at the trailhead at Garage Bi- Scarlett’s dad Nathan and his girlfriend Sarah Martinez ex- grants as well as a contract with the city to build and maintain the cycle Works, which is located at 1222 W Lakeview in Elk City. For plained the event as the kids being on a pedal tractor toy-type trails that go around Elk City Lake, receiving a grant for a brush more information Jarel says that you can contact Jase Hargrove thing with a trailer attached and that the farther they pedal, hog that they use to keep the trails clear. Other equipment, he or call the shop at (580)-339-1924 and talk to Adam. the more weight is added for them to pull. The competition says, comes from the volunteers that provide 90% of the help and See Nationals page 2. work on the trails. There are also signs that mark the trails that See Map page 2. Innovative Technology, Ltd. Celebrates 40 years Chamber holds ribbon cutting that “sort of fell by the way side.” ~ Innovative ~~ As for Teel's own history with the company, he says that he start- qT. Technology ed with ITL right out of high school in 1988. Several years back, the founders made him a partner and when they retired in 2016, he became the owner and president. ‘The services that ITL provides now days are vastly different than Your Complete Technology Solution those of the past, but are essential for many other companies. Teel explained that they are primarily a managed service provider (MSP), which he described as basically a sort of remote informa- tion technology so that companies don’t have to hire their own IT person. He called MSP a proactive approach, saying that instead of waiting for a company to call when they have a broken com- puter (he says that’s known as a break-fix model), the company pays ITL a fixed cost each month (which depends on how many devices they have), and ITL is able to monitor the computers and predict if they are about to fail. Should the need for servicing ar- rive, ITL is able to remotely access the device. Teel says that along with MSP, ITL also offers automated updates and patching, managed antivirus programs that help prevent is- sues like ransomware, cybersecurity training, HIPAA training and even digital phone systems. Teel explained that they've worked with many different types of organizations such as schools, hos- pitals and oilfield companies. Their service area is primarily West- ern Oklahoma but they've gone as far as Woodward and Frederick and have even done some business in nearby Texas towns such as Shamrock and Wheeler. As for ITL’s future, Teel says that the MSP model is something that they will continue to pursue. They will also continue focus- ing on keeping customers informed about cybersecurity and ran- somware as cybersecurity is a major concern with the increasing By Burgundy Lee Hanrahan built computers, explaining that they had a staff of salespeople number of cyber-attacks. that would answer phone calls from all over the United States Teel says that he really feels blessed to have worked at ITL for as Innovative Technology opened their doors 40 years ago and the and even the world, recalling that some orders had been shipped Jong as he has because he has always considered it to be like a sec- Elk City Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting in celebra- to Russia. Teel continued that at one point the company had a ond family. He also says that he appreciates the founders tion. Owner and President Dennis Teel says that when the com- sister company, ITL Net, which brought dial-up internet to West- pany first got started, their main business was mail-order custom ern Oklahoma. He says that since dial-up has become obsolete, See ITL page 2. «AMAL Weather tomorrow 90/ Vol. 119, No. 77 75 cents, 12 pgs. Mail delivery 580.225.3000 View online elkcityoknews.com