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EcoRide 2004

A Sunny Success!

August/September Issue, 2004

EcoRide 2004 featured a new location, hundreds of participants, great food and festivities, and lots of sunshine. Those who rode in the downpour in 2003 particularly enjoyed the perfect weather for biking. The June 27 “Ride to stop global warming!” was staged for the first time at Greenhills School, on the east side of Ann Arbor, giving event planners and riders a chance to explore all new bike routes.

Riders seemed to love the new routes, which allowed them to see a part of Michigan that many people often don’t ride (more common routes, including past EcoRides, follow the Huron River). For the longer routes, the rest stop on the lakefront at Whitmore Lake was especially popular. All routes started and ended at Greenhills and ranged from a 2-mile walk/bike ride to a 65-mile journey. As early as 7 am, riders were lined up to register, eat breakfast, have their bikes tuned up by Two Wheel Tango, and hit the road.

People of all ages enjoyed the many demonstrations and presentations at Greenhills during the day. AATA had their bus bike-rack demo, Ann Arbor Cyclery had recumbent bikes to test, and Bodies in Balance featured spinning demos. There were massages by the Ann Arbor Institute of Massage Therapy, music by AnnieCapps, and great food tables from Tios Mexican Cafe, People’s Food Co-op, and Eden Foods, in addition to all of the other good food donated by sponsors. The Ecology Center also set up information booths, an EcoKids Activity Center, and held a raffle with prizes donated by local businesses.

The 33rd annual bike-a-thon fundraiser was made possible by the generous donations of goods, services, and time from many businesses and individuals (see back page). The Ecology Center is also grateful to the hundreds of riders and thousands of pledge sponsors and volunteers from Washtenaw County and southeast Michigan for helping to raise around $50,000 this year.

Pledges are still coming in and the winner (who raised the most money for the EcoRide) of the grand prize bike donated by Two Wheel Tango is Paul Shapiro -- congratulations! All proceedssupport Ecology Center quality-of-life programs promoting clean air, safe water, and healthy communities.

Overall, there was lots of positive feedback on the new location and the event. The Ecology Center invites further comments on EcoRide 2004 (stephanie@ecocenter.org) for any participants who didn’t get a chance to fill out an evaluation at the event.

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