Bike Month/Week/Day/Etc: Oh, Just Ride Your Bike Already

Morgan Levy

The month of May is National Bike Month. The week of May 11-15 is Bike-To-Work Week. Friday, May 15 is Bike-To-Work Day, and In case it’s not obvious, this week includes all three! Bike-To-Work Week encourages Nashvillians to hang up the car keys for a few days and hit the streets on bikes. If it’s a feasible option for your commute, why not try? But beware: We’ve heard reports that it can be addicting.

If one day sounds better than a whole week of biking, Bike-To-Work Day will be observed Friday, May 15. In the morning from 7:30am to 8:15am, cyclists will gather in front of the Schermerhorn Symphony Center for refreshments before taking off on their own. If you’re a first-timer, this is a great chance to get your feet wet, as there will be six designated routes with ride leaders heading up the trek to the Schermerhorn. And one of our favorite morning before-work stops is giving away free drip coffee to all bikers… Thanks, CREMA!

Bike-To-Work Week precedes Saturday’s annual Tour de Nash, a leisurely turn-off-the-tv-and-computers-and-get-some-fresh-air event that can be done on foot or bicycle. There’s a 3.2 mile Family Walk, a 6 or 12 mile Family Ride, and a 27 or 50 mile Gran Tour, all showcasing Nashville’s sidewalks, bikeways and greenways. Family registration fees are nominal, and all of the funds raised go back to improving Middle Tennessee via Walk/Bike Nashville.

ROUTES FOR BIKE-TO-WORK DAY

West End / Bellevue – Ride Leaders Sean Davies / Bill Glass
Red Caboose Playground- 6:30 am
Gran Fondo Bike Shop- 6:45 am
Vine St. Church–7:00 am
Join Murphy Rd Route at Elmington Park

Hillsboro/Belmont – Ride Leaders David Kleinfelter / Bob Murphy
Hillsboro High School–7:00 am
Belmont/Gale -7:15 am
16th/Magnolia-7:25 am

Shelby Ave – Ride Leader Carey Rogers
Shelby Community Center–7:15 am
East Community Center–7:25 am

Murphy Road – Ride Leader Stephen Carr
Charlotte Park Library–6:50 am
Richland Park-7:00 am
Elmington Park-7:10 am
Join Hillsboro/Belmont Route on16th Ave

Donelson– Ride Leader TBA
Donelson & Lebanon Pk–6:45am
Two Rivers Skate Park–7:00 am

Germantown – Ride Leaders Freddie O’Connell /Johnny Crow
Morgan Park Community Center–7:00 am
Farmers’ Market along 7th Ave–7:15 am

Photo by ryan2013.