Biking into August: Bingo, hotdogs, and community projects

Group picture taken on July 1, 2024. Our ride was delayed due to rain. And then it proceeded to rain for the rest of July.

After what seems like a month of rain, sunshine is back in the forecast. That could be a good or bad thing. The rain has really kept the temperature down this summer, even though it’s made each ride a big risk. We’ve managed to keep our rides going, but have gotten wet a couple of times, too. It’s still better than where we were this time last summer—nowhere, because we kept having to cancel due to the heat.

Even though we can expect it to be warmer this week, it’s not going to be dangerous, so on we shall ride.

BINGO!

Our last ride for the month of July will make a stop at a Bingo game that is serving as a fundraiser for the Lincoln Theater. We will begin our night with our regular ride and make our way by 7 p.m. to the Dean Malik Center, 1132 Eddie Robinson Sr. Dr.

Because this is a fundraiser, there is a $20 entry fee to play BINGO. If you want to play, you’ll need to pay. If you don’t want to play but want to make a donation, that would be great, too. I plan to stay for at least one round.

If you don’t want to stay for BINGO but want to grab a bite to eat, there’s an awesome little BBQ spot located in the parking lot a couple of buildings down. Once we’ve had enough Bingo or BBQ, we’ll take the long way home through the Garden District and head back to the Electric Depot.

Fun upcoming event at 1809 Perkins

This summer we’ve had a lot of fun stopping for snowballs at 1809 Perkins. During our last visit, the owner, Gabrielle McKellar, decided to host a special event on Thursday, August 8th. Our very own DJ Bird (Chris Culotta) will serve up some beats while the venue provides free hot dogs! They’re going to have games and face painting, too.

A quick summary of the venue is that it opened on May 4th in a spot that had been vacant for years. Gabrielle says she found the property and was inspired by it while she was out on a bike ride. See, bike rides really are inspiring!

Perkins Road overpass project

Just a hop, skip, and jump down the road is the Perkins Road overpass. Recently, I was asked to provide input on the project as a representative of the bike community. I have a follow-up meeting with them later this week.

The project encompasses the area underneath the overpass. For decades, this area has served as a makeshift cut-through for cyclists, runners, and pedestrians. But it’s sketchy. On a bike, there’s a death drop that makes you fear fractures every time you go down it. And one hard rain turns the whole area into a mud pit. That’s all before you get to the railroad track.

It’s only natural to ask, “Why don’t we make this area a little nicer?” Fast forward through a lot of politics and bickering to today, and the project has finally been fully funded with a price tag of roughly $22 million.

The company drawing up the plans is CARBO Landscape Architecture. They invited me and a few other well-known bike folks to their office on Government Street to discuss the plans. The original plan needed some work, so I’m super glad they brought us in for feedback. They made some changes, and based on where we landed, I think this is going to be a fantastic corridor for the community.

The Metro Council will get its first look at the plans this week. The follow-up meeting we have set up is scheduled to happen after that presentation, so I’m assuming we will learn what the council approved. I’ll let you know what happens next!

Join us for a ride!

The Downtown East Social Ride meets at the Electric Depot every Monday at 6 p.m. The ride goes until 8 p.m. and ends back at the same location. There are some weather conditions that prevent us from riding:

• If the rain chances are 30% or higher during the hours our ride will occur.

• If there is an active heat advisory or warning during the hours of our ride.

• In the cold months (they do happen), if the temperature is 50 degrees or lower during the hours of our ride.

Rain cancellations will not be made until 3 p.m. on the day of the ride. Cancellations due to heat will be made the Sunday prior to the ride, and it’s possible we will have a “meet-up” instead of a ride. In that case, we will all meet at a location for an activity or meal.