MUSCATINE, Iowa — It was a bike ride with a big agenda.
And
judging by how many cyclists showed up for the ride, supporters of an
area trail system won't have any problem promoting that agenda.
A
sea of spandex and a boatload of bike helmets could be seen sailing
along the Mississippi River Trail on Sept. 14 for the second annual
Musc-Lo-Des bicycle ride.
The ride — named for the three counties
it passes through, Muscatine, Louisa and Des Moines — attracted more
than five dozen riders who traveled trails and highways from Muscatine
and Burlington.
Louisa County Conservation Board Executive
Director Katie Hammond, who helped organize this year’s event along with
a host of other volunteers and contributors, said the ride helped
promote a wide range of issues.
“The (primary) purpose was to
bring awareness of the Mississippi River Trail during this ‘year of
cycling 2013’,” Hammond explained.
She also said the ride was
intended to boost tourism along the trail, bring the three counties
together for a combined ride, highlight trail activities in each county,
promote trail connections between counties, cities and natural and
cultural areas, and promote health and wellness
Oh, yeah, and to have fun.
Who knew a bike ride could accomplish so much?
Riders—
64 in all — started at Riverside Park in Muscatine and rode south on
the “String of Pearls” Mississippi River levee trail before heading
south along Stewart Road. Eventually they followed Louisa County Road
X-61, then joined County Road 99 in Des Moines County and eventually
connected with a pre-marked bike route that got them up and over U.S.
Highway 34, before ending at Big Muddy’s Restaurant in Burlington.
“This
is the first year for the ride from Muscatine to Burlington, but we
held a shorter ride from our office to Oakville along the trail last
year,” said Hammond.
Riders came from Fairfield, DeKalb, Wapello,
Morning Sun, Illinois City, Cedar Rapids, Des Moines, Fort Madison,
Keokuk, Oquawka and Columbus Junction. Members of the Bike Burlington,
Melon City and Washington Spokebusters bike clubs also participated,
with the Bike Burlington group providing its bus and trailer for shuttle
service.
“We were really thrilled with the large number of bike riders who came from all the surrounding area,” Hammond said.
She said the plan is to continue holding the event on the second Saturday in September.
Proceeds
from the ride will go to help the Louisa County Trails Council match a
national Scenic Byways grant that will pave 14 miles of the shoulder of
the MRT in Louisa County.
In addition to the Louisa County Trails
Council and conservation board, other ride sponsors and planners
included S&J Tube, Wapello; Bike Burlington, Burlington; Tri-Oak
Foods, Oakville; Tyson Foods, Columbus Junction; Hy-Vee; Big Muddy’s,
Burlington; Kingston Methodist Church, Caseys, Tri-Rivers Conservation
Foundation, Wapello; and the Des Moines County Conservation Board.