This is a big week for bicycling. If you haven’t retrieved your bike from winter storage yet and pumped up the tires, now’s a good time to do so. Numerous group bike ride events are scheduled this week. There’s even one event where you can ride naked through city streets. Yep, you read that right. Keep reading for details.
Celebrate Trails Day
Plan now to hit the trails this Saturday, April 23. That is the date for the annual Celebrate Trails Day, a special day that is being recognized in all 50 states.
Celebrate Trails Day is sponsored by the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy. It is designed to encourage people to get outside and enjoy the nation’s beautiful and ever-growing network of trails for cycling, walking, skating, and hiking.
Local trail celebrations are planned in cities across the country. You can find an interactive map (shown above) on the Rails-to-Trails website that provides you with detailed information on trail celebrations near you. There are a number of special events scheduled in addition to trail rides.
According to the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, there are now more than 24,000 miles of rail trails in the U.S., with another 8,000 miles in planning and development. Rail trails are multi-use trails built on the site of abandoned railroad tracks. There are thousands of more miles of other (non-rail) trails, built purposely for walking and cycling, with more being added each year.
For more information on Celebrate Trails Day, see the Rails-to-Trails website.
Ride Your Bike on Earth Day
Also this week, Friday, April 22, is Earth Day. Numerous cities and bike clubs around the country are hosting Earth Day bike rides. Promoting more cycling is seen as part of the solution to the climate crisis, as it gets people out of fossil-fuel vehicles and into a healthier, more sustainable mode of transportation.
One of the more creative Earth Day cycling events is the Earth Day Bike Bingo Event. It is sponsored by the Cascade Bicycle Club in Washington State. Game participants can enter a drawing at the end for prizes. The bingo game is designed to encourage cyclists in Washington to not only participate in rides on or around Earth Day but to use their bikes for good purposes. This can range from running errands with your bike or stopping to pick up trash while riding. You can learn more on Cascade Bicycle Club’s website.
For additional Earth Day bike events, see the Facebook page for the League of American Bicyclists. You may also search online or inquire with local bike stores or cycling clubs to find nearby Earth Day events.
Ride Naked
If riding your bike naked with hundreds of other similiarly unclothed riders sounds like your idea of fun, then this weekend is your chance! Make your way to San Francisco for their annual Earth Day World Naked Bike Ride event on Saturday. San Francisco is one of 70 cities worldwide that host annual naked bike rides throughout the year. You can learn more at the registration page on EventBrite.
Where Will You Ride?
I plan to be on a trail this weekend. How about you? Let’s show our support for cycling and our appreciation for all the wonderful trails we love. So what’s your plan for this weekend? Drop us a note in the comments section below and let us know where you plan to ride.
Unless you are riding in San Francisco this weekend, just be sure to wear some clothes!
