Go Ride! (May is National Bike Month)
Does it really take a National Bike Month to encourage someone to ride? How about food? What if you combine the two?
On Saturday, May 4, the City of Tallahassee Planning Department, in partnership with Joyride Bicycle Collective of Tallahassee, hosted the 3rd Annual Tour de Farm. Four days into National Bike Month and we have a food ride. A REAL Food Ride!
The group met up at Cascade’s Park and traveled to the Downtown Tallahassee Farmer’s Market, the Frenchtown Farmer’s Market and then to Lake Ella for their Saturday Market. The premise of this annual event is to learn great bike routes connecting all these areas of the city so that one can visit a farmer’s market by bike anytime during season. There was talk of offering the tour more than once a year due to popularity.
The tour lasted all of three hours and gave everyone time to shop and socialize. City planners on the ride gave insights on infrastructure current and future while Joyride Bicycle Collective members kept the ride safely flowing through Tallahassee. The Joyride Bicycle Collective Facebook page offered insights on how to shop by bike:
Be sure to think about how you’d like to carry your treasures from the market. You are sure to find fresh breads, homemade marmalades, pickles, jams, and tons of fresh fruits and veggies you’ll want to haul home. If you don’t have a bike basket, panniers, or crate, a backpack works great. If you aren’t sure, let us know. We kinda love talking about how to haul things by bike. 🙂
Their Facebook page also offered encouragement for how to ride and for bringing the kids:
Even if you’ve never ridden your bike in traffic, you’ll be comfortable with the group. Children are welcome, too! They should be experienced in group riding and comfortable riding in bike lanes with passing traffic. If you aren’t sure, just let us know and we’ll help you figure out what would be best for you & yours.
As an out-of-town invited guest to attend the tour, I had a wonderful time. I learned a new way to get around Tallahassee and the Dahon Espresso Blonde (a story for another time) safely carried back all my purchases.
If you really want to see how much fun shopping by bicycle can be, check out last year’s tour, via YouTube:
Do you have a bicycle story to tell? Photos to share? Be our guest and be our next guest blogger! Send your story and photos to Becky@floridabicycle.net.
Speaking of stories, our quarterly Messenger newsletter is available online for your internet reading pleasure. Visit the FBA website Home page or click here. Want a hard copy of our Messenger? Join Florida Bicycle Association or visit one of our bicycle shop members to pick up our FBA brochure.
