Marley Blonsky put out a call recently that I support completely: Seattle needs you to plan a group ride.
The pandemic all but erased the Seattle Bike Blog Events Calendar, which was of course the right thing to do. But things are finally changing. At least locally, vaccine rates are climbing, hospitalizations are falling, the weather is warming, and public health guidance on outdoor gatherings has eased. It’s time to allow yourself to have some community fun again.
Marley wrote something that really resonated with me:
“Please, I’m begging you – take a risk, step out of your comfort zone and plan a ride, bike party, alley cat, or charity ride! Nobody holds the keys to bike culture – together we can shape an inclusive community that reflects our values.”
Even before the pandemic, hosting a bike event was a fun way for people who have never organized anything before to give it a try. Bike events typically don’t need permits and can often be hosted for $0. There are a lot of people out there simply looking for something to do that is out of the ordinary, and your idea might fit the bill. There are so many different people who bike in Seattle that whatever ride sounds fun to you probably will appeal to others, too. That’s how community grows and gets stronger.
Just because you have never hosted an event or are not a member of a bike club, that doesn’t mean you can’t host a bike ride. And bike rides do not need to be about biking. Whatever theme or concept appeals to you is great.
Portland just started their annual Pedalpalooza community-hosted bike ride series, which will have a handful of rides every day for the next three months. It’s a really cool tradition that their city and the organization Shift 2 Bikes has developed over many years, and they have great resources on how to host a ride.
Most importantly, be clear about your ride style intentions. If you are going to ride fast, say so in your description. Likewise, if you say you are going to welcome riders of all levels, then make plans to be certain your ride does not drop people (such as designating a “sweep” who knows the route and can bring up the rear in case folks fall behind).
Anyone can post events for free to the Seattle Bike Blog Events Calendar (it should also be less buggy now, so if you tried in the past and it didn’t work, give it another shot). But you should seek additional avenues for promoting your event, such as social media or flyers, etc.
