Many communities are making plans now for National Bike Month in May. One city where Bike Month is celebrated in a big way is Harrisonburg, Va.
The Harrisonburg Tourism website already has many cycling events for Bike Month listed on the May calendar of activities.
Among the activities in Harrisonburg are the DR100 Walk/Run/Ride, National Ride of Silence, Competitive Bike to Work Day, Bike to School Day, Bike to Worship Weekend and Bike Rodeo.
The Shenandoah Valley Bicycle Coalition has been an involved partner in Bike Month and in helping to keep the people of the Shenandoah Valley active.
In addition to Bike Month events, the Shenadoah Valley Bicycle Coalition offers community rides nearly every day of the week.
The SVBC is working with the New Community Project's Northend Greenway to plan the many activities that will take place during the month-long celebration of cycling.
Bike Month activities in Harrisonburg were started in 2010 by the New Community Project, a non-profit organization committed to community, peace and sustainable living.
At that time, there were already a couple of cycling events taking place in Harrisonburg during May: the Bike Rodeo, Ride of Silence and DR100 Walk/Run/Ride.
Harrisonburg Parks and Recreation's Bike Rodeo continues to be a big hit with local kids. This year's event will feature a day of fun and safety for kids including helmet fittings, an obstacle course, safety tips from Harrisonburg city bike cops and more.
Many Harrisonburg cyclists continue to participate each year in the world-wide Ride of Silence, which is now in its tenth year of honoring cyclists injured or killed while cycling on public roadways and raise awareness of the need to share the roadways.
The DR100 Walk/Run/Ride offers a 68-mile Metric Century ride and a 30-mile Half Metric ride. Many additional events have been added to Bike Month in the past three years.
The competitive Bike to Work Day challenges employees of local businesses to to compete for the highest participation and most miles cycled.
Many volunteers including Rockingham Memorial Hospital's Safe Routes to School educator will help guide local children to their schools on Harrisonburg Bike to School Day.
There will also be a Bike to Worship Weekend, neighborhood rides and a costume bike parade with cyclists of all ages dressing up and riding to Court Square Theatre for a cycling-themed film festival.
Two-time National Champion and Pan American Games gold medalist cycler Jeremiah Bishop will stop at some of these events in his hometown of Harrisonburg to participate in the rides, show his support, sign autographs and chat with locals about his upcoming Alpine Loop Gran Fondo event in September.
Many other cities and communities across the country are planning events for Bike Month. Here in Virginia, Richmond, Roanoke and Lynchburg are among the cities with plans for community cycling events during May.
Comments