Get on your bike and ride!

May 10, 2012 – May is Ride a Bike month, and the Charlotte region has plenty of ways to get you into the saddle. 

• For starters, BIKE! Charlotte – two weeks filled with dozens of bike events – concludes this week with several group rides, including one with Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx on Friday and a family ride through several neighborhoods near downtown on Saturday. (details of two below and at the BIKE! Charlotte website.)
• The U.S. Whitewater Center also offers organized free group trail rides every Thursday evening through October.  The rides are for both novices and experienced trail riders. Don’t have a bike? Rent one at the Whitewater Center (Details below).
• Stay after your ride for Whitewater River Jam, three hours of free music every Thursday evening on the patio of the center’s River’s Edge Bar and Grill.
• Finally, PeopleForBikes.Org has an invitation for you and all other cyclists you know: Join them in collecting one million pledges for a better future for bicycling nationwide. The group recently hit 500,000 pledges. The essence of the pledge is this: “I believe that no matter how I ride, biking makes me happy and is great for my health, my community and the environment we all share. That is why I am pledging my name in support of a better future for bicycling—one that is safe and fun for everyone.” Take the pledge at http://www.peopleforbikes.org

Mayor’s Ride

7:30-9 a.m. Friday, May 11, from Dowd YMCA, 400 E. Morehead Street Charlotte, NC 28202. Free.

Seize the opportunity to show support for cycling in Charlotte! Ride and mingle with the Mayor, City Council Members, County Commissioners and other politicians. It's a short ride but one of the most important you could ever participate in, if you support cycling in the Queen City! The ride starts at the Dowd YMCA and ends at The Plaza at Two Wachovia Center. Free breakfast provided by Ruth's Chris will follow at The Plaza on Tryon Street.

Want to know more? CLICK for ride details.

Cycle Charlotte family bike ride

10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, May 12, beginning and ending at Ice House South End, 2100 South Blvd., Charlotte

This ride is a family friendly ride designed to encourage anyone and everyone who owns a bicycle to "air up" the tires and experience Charlotte without a windshield on a fun 15-mile BINGO ride through several neighborhoods including NoDa, Plaza Midwood and Myers Park. There will be 11 to 12 stops along the ride where participants will pick up BINGO numbers.  The stops will include ice cream shops, coffee stops, chocolate stores, and opportunities to smell some roses, pet turtles and feed some birds.

The day includes a children’s bicycle safety rodeo (10 a.m.-noon) and concludes with food, drinks, and live music!

Cost of $20 includes the ride, food and entry into live music. Proceeds of Cycle Charlotte will benefit Trips for Kids Charlotte.

Want to know more? CLICK to register and for ride details.

Whitewater Center Thursday Night Rides

Join the bike staff at the U.S. National Whitewater Center for a Thursday Night Ride on some of the most popular bike trails in Mecklenburg County.

These free guided rides are a great way for beginners to build confidence on the trails and for bikers of all skill levels to meet and socialize with other riders and USNWC Bike Staff.

The beginner rides leave the Trail Center at 5 p.m. and cover about 3.5 miles of novice (gentle) terrain on the Lake Loop Trail in about 45 minutes.

The intermediate/advanced ride leaves at 6 p.m. and covers about 6 miles of more challenging trails.

The rides are free to people with their own bikes and helmets (required); or you can rent bikes and helmets from the center.

After the ride, be sure to stick around and grab a drink from the Trail Center and hang out for the Whitewater River Jam, which runs from 7 to 10 p.m.

Want to know more? CLICK for more details