May is National Bike month, and the Lakes Area Bike Club has been meeting to ride bike in groups for over a decade now, usually beginning in April or May and ending in September or October.
They set off on their first ride this year on May 1 and will continue every week until fall.
Veteran biker Glenn Gifford joined eight years ago and says it's a pretty simple concept. They get together, go for a ride, then talk about bikes over a burger.
"Whoever's hosting will check that there's no construction and make sure the pavement is halfway decent," Gifford said.
While biking is still not an entirely practical and safe means of transportation, there are ways to can incorporate cycling into a lifestyle and reduce the risk of accidents.
ADVERTISEMENT
Gifford said it would be nice if highway shoulders were wider, but they work with what they have.
He said they usually ride in groups, wear bright clothing, return before dusk, use flashing bike lights, avoid traffic and aim for roads with larger shoulders.
He said they meet regionally, anywhere from Staples to Cormorant and down as far as Dalton.
Members will volunteer to host one or two meetings per season. The host chooses the bike route and restaurant to eat at afterwards.
They generally have anywhere from 12 to 36 people show up, and the more the merrier. Gifford looks forward to the annual chili feed towards the end of the season.
To accomodate for all skill levels, the host also establishes one or two alternate routes. If they have three routes, for example, one route will be six miles, the second route will be 12-16 miles, and the third might be 22 miles for more skilled bikers.
"Everyone usually ends up back at the restaurant at around the same time," Gifford said. "We always do a headcount to make sure everyone made it back safely."
Anyone at any skill level or age can join, and joining is easy. You just show up to the next scheduled meeting and occasionally pay a small fee to upkeep their website.
ADVERTISEMENT
"It's a good time, and it's good exercise," Gifford said. "I would encourage anyone to join."
The next scheduled bike ride on Tuesday, May 22 will begin at the bowling alley in New York Mills, which is a 30 mile drive from Detroit Lakes.
The next local meeting is the following week on May 29 beginning at Hub 41.
To see the rest of their schedule, go to www.lakesareabikeclub.com .
