MESSAGE FROM THE MAYOR: TREK THE TRAILS

Are you looking for something to do this summer with family, friends or a way to meet new friends? Beginning this month, the City of Fort Wayne is offering 27 ways to have fun and see our city off the beaten path.

The third season of Trek the Trails kicked off on May 1st and runs through the end of September and features a series of 22 Tuesday evening rides, four Saturday rides and a stargazing bike ride in October. The events are free and are guided by someone knowledgeable about the trail system and important landmarks along the trails.

In the past six years our trail network has grown from 20 to 68 miles. Trek the Trails gives us the opportunity to see Fort Wayne in a way we haven’t seen before and provides with an opportunity to meet other trail users, take part in a fun activity with friends and family and stay fit.

Just as in previous years, each Tuesday ride is 6 to 10 miles long and the Saturday rides, geared toward more experienced riders, are about 20 miles long. The stargazing nighttime ride will be Tuesday, Oct. 2 and will begin at Foster Park, along the Rivergreenway. More details about this event will be released later this year.

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New this year, a few of the Rivergreenway rides will take cyclists across the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Bridge and other rides will take them along a newly-opened section of the Towpath Trail, west of Engle Road.

Participants should wear helmets and bring along water for the ride. Children under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. It is recommended that parents with young children pull them in a trailer or use a tag-along bicycle.

If there is unsafe weather — such as heavy rain, lightning or extreme heat — the ride will be cancelled. A cancellation notice will be posted at www.FortWayneParks.org, on the Rivergreenway’s page for News and Events.
A special thanks to Summit City Bicycles and Fitness, Coca-Cola Bottling Co., Fort Wayne Outfitters & Bike Depot, the YMCA and Visit Fort Wayne for sponsoring some of this year’s rides. If you have a business interested in sponsoring one of the rides please call 427-6228.

I hope you will find time to join us on these community bike rides.
Tuesday Trek the Trail Rides – all begin at 6 p.m.

May 1, 2012 – Salomon Farm Park & Pufferbelly Trail.
Meet at Salomon Farm.

May 8, 2012 – Aboite Trails.
Meet in the parking lot for Deer Ridge Elementary School at 1515 S. Scott Road.
Ride is 6 to 8 miles.

May 15, 2012 – Towpath Trail.
Meet at the trailhead in Rockhill Park near 1400 Catalpa St., just east of the intersection of W. Jefferson Boulevard and Freeman Street.
Ride is 8 miles.

May 22, 2012 -Rivergreenway.
Meet at IPFW, 2101 E. Coliseum Boulevard, in the parking lot on the east side of the Venderly Family pedestrian bridge.
Ride is 8 miles.

May 29, 2012 –
Rivergreenway.
Meet at the Foster Park trailhead parking lot near Pavilion #1.
Foster Park is located at 3900 Old Mill Road.
Ride is 9 miles.

June 5, 2012 – Rivergreenway.
Meet at the gravel parking lot on the south side of Fourth Street, near 250 E. Fourth Street.
Ride is 8 miles.

June 12, 2012 –
Rivergreenway.
Meet at the North River Road Trailhead, commonly known as the “boat launch” just west of Kreager Park, near 7300 N. River Road.
Ride is 6 miles.

June 19, 2012 – Aboite Trails – Indian Trails Park.
Meet at the back of Indian Trails Park, near 10300 Aboite Center Road.
Ride is 8 miles.

June 26, 2012 –
Rivergreenway.
Meet at the parking lot near the old swimming pool in Swinney Park West, near 2200 W. Jefferson Boulevard.
Ride is 8 miles.
Saturday Long Trail Rides – all begin at 9 a.m.

June 9, 2012 – Starts at Indian Trails Park, 10300 Aboite Center Road.
Ride is 16 miles.

July 14, 2012 – Starts at Moser Park, 601 W. Main Street, New Haven.
Ride is 18 miles.

August 11, 2012 – Starts at Rockhill Park, 1400 Catalpa Street.
Ride is 22 miles.

September 8, 2012 – Starts at Tillman Park, 7500 S. Hanna Street. Ride is 24 miles.