Looking Back: Two Pals Cycling for Fun and Charity

Carla Perry and Evelyn Altmiller helped put Olney on the endurance-cycling map. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the two trained and rode together, becoming among the first Olney cyclists to enter the Hotter’N Hell 100 in Wichita Falls. A 1986 race results book at the Olney Heritage Museum shows Mrs. Perry finished the 100-mile ride in 50:07 minutes, while Mrs. Altmiller finished in 57:08 minutes, out of nearly 5,000 riders. In 1990, they completed a two-day, 150-mile charity ride to raise money for multiple sclerosis research. Their example inspired generations of Olney cyclists, making the Hotter’N Hell 100 a local tradition.