Community Bike Ride Led by LGBTQ and Safe Bicycling Groups Hits Kalamazoo Streets

By Gracie Smith | gsmith@mlive.com

KALAMAZOO, MI – Over 20 people gathered Saturday along the sidewalk of Rose street to go on a mid-morning bike ride.

The three-mile community bicycle ride led participants through different neighborhoods in Kalamazoo. OutFront Kalamazoo partnered with ModeShift Kalamazoo to host the OutRide Community Cruise on Aug. 27.

OutFront Kalamazoo is a charitable organization that seeks to help people in the LGBTQ community. Meanwhile, ModeShift Kalamazoo is a small collective that wants to make walking and biking safer for everyone.

People of all ages and abilities were allowed on the ride, making sure that everyone was allowed to have fun. The hosts also wanted the people participating to focus on the community and notice how they are changing the neighborhoods of Kalamazoo.

The ride began a little after 10 a.m., with the group starting outside of OutFront Kalamazoo’s office in the downtown area. The group first headed down Lovell street, using the new cycle track on the street.

The group then biked up through the Vine neighborhood, checking out some murals along the way. Then they explored the new trail over by the Kalamazoo Farmers Market over on Bank street.

They went to the Edison neighborhood next to check out some more murals over there. Lastly, they biked up through Upjohn Park before heading back to OutFront Kalamazoo.

The group finished its trip a little before 11:30 a.m. Once they returned, ModeShift Kalamazoo provided supplies for everyone to make a taco if they were hungry.

“It’s awesome having people in the community come together and do something silly,” said Dustin Black, a volunteer for ModeShift. “Like going for a bike ride.”

Published: Aug. 27, 2022, 3:21 p.m.

Link to original article: https://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/2022/08/community-bike-ride-led-by-lgbtq-and-safe-bicycling-groups-hits-kalamazoo-streets.html