Residents with bicycles are welcomed to join Las Cruces Mayor Ken Miyagishima at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 21 for the 2016 Mayor’s Bike Ride Event commemorating National Bike Month. Initiated by the League of American Bicyclists in 1956, National Bike Month creates awareness of bicycling as an American pastime.
The event starts at City Hall, 700 N. Main St., and the route is about four miles.
“I’m looking forward to riding this year,” Miyagishima said. “Bicycling is a great activity and I’m very proud of our community’s status with the League of American Bicyclists that awarded Las Cruces Bronze level recognition as a Bicycle Friendly Community last year.”
The route will take in the Mesquite and Alameda historic districts.
“It’s an easy, low-speed, family friendly ride around Downtown Las Cruces through both historic neighborhoods,” explained George Pearson, local bicycle advocate. The ride is on city streets and not recommended for children under 12 years of age unless they are in a trailer, tandem, or trail-a-bike, and helmets are required for all riders. Pearson is also chairman of the Mesilla Valley Metropolitan Planning Organization’s (MPO) Bicycle Pedestrian Facilities Advisory Committee. Pearson is also a board member of the local bicycle advocacy group Velo Cruces, a co-sponsor of the event.
For more information, contact Pearson, League of American Bicyclists’ Cycling Instructor #2614, at george@nmbikeed.org. A map of the route can be found at https://ridewithgps.com/routes/13456268 or on the City’s website at www.las-cruces.org, keyword search Mayor’s Bike Ride 2016. More information about biking opportunities in Las Cruces can be found on the City’s website at http://www.las-cruces.org/live/bike-walk-hike.