Cyclists will have a chance to "roll" with Hot Springs' mayor through some of the most scenic parts of the Spa City Friday.
Hot Springs' inaugural "Slow Roll," which will begin at 4:30 p.m. Friday at Spa City Cycling, will be led by Mayor Pat McCabe and take its participants on a leisurely bike ride along Whittington, Park and Central avenues. The event kicks off the final weekend of National Bike Month, which will also include the annual Du for the Parks Duathlon at Transportation Depot.
McCabe, an avid cyclist himself, said "Slow Roll" is meaningful for Hot Springs.
"It's just part of the total progression of illustrating that we're a cycling community, a cycling destination," he said.
"Slow Roll" began as Visit Hot Springs' effort to communicate that the city is a bike-friendly area to locals. It comes at a time when plans for the Northwoods bike trail are in the preliminary stages and the city is exploring bike lanes downtown, according to Caitlin Moore, Visit Hot Springs' assistant special events manager.
"It creates awareness amongst the greater Hot Springs community of cycling as an activity, as an activity that offers a great opportunity for exercise and family fun," McCabe said. "It's a low-pressure, family friendly activity that's available for all ages of cyclists and all abilities of cyclists."
The event was planned by Moore and a committee of prominent area cyclists, including Parkside Cycle co-owner Jann Hubbard and Hot Springs police bicycle Officer Sam Spencer.
"There's been a cycling community for years and years and years, but it's been a very small and very tight-knit group," said Bill Solleder, Visit Hot Springs' special events manager. "We're trying to promote cycling to the entire city."
Though McCabe said he believes "Slow Roll" will mostly have a local draw, he noted Hot Springs has the potential to draw outsiders for the purpose of cycling. Arkansas is tied with Colorado for having the second-most EPIC trails (a difficulty designation by International Mountain Bicycling Association) in the nation, he said, and the Hot Springs area has several beautiful outdoor trails that can serve as a draw to tourists.
Solleder said he believes the mission of "Slow Roll" goes hand-in-hand with promoting Hot Springs as a tourist destination for cyclists.
"The bigger the community, the stronger the community, the better we do and the bigger we become as a cycling destination," he said.
"Slow Roll" also aims to educate motorists on how to properly interact with cyclists. Hubbard said Arkansas has a 3-foot distance rule for motorists passing by cyclists, and following this rule is important for the cyclists' safety.
Hubbard said she expects a diverse age range in attendance at the event, and hopes that such a crowd dynamic humanizes the issue of road safety.
"Our goal is to put a face with the bicycle, so motorists know that it's not just some guy that's going out there racing -- that it's families, and to pay attention, and to know that there's people who cycle, whether it's for enjoyment, or for fitness, or for transportation," Hubbard said.
"We don't have, right now, a whole lot of roads with bike lanes," McCabe said. "We're appreciative of the courtesy extended by motorists to allow 3 feet and to be supportive of cyclists in sharing the road. We're sensitive in not wanting to hold traffic up."
Moore said she hopes the event communicates a positive message about cycling in Hot Springs.
"This is just sort of to let everybody know that this is the direction we're taking," Moore said. "We want cyclists to know that we want them here. They're welcome here."
Local on 05/24/2017