Explore Tallahassee-Leon County on Two Wheels

Activities Celebrating National Bike Month Begin This Week

April 23, 2019

Prized American novelist Ernest Hemingway once said, “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them.” In support of National Bike Month, which takes place in May, the City of Tallahassee and Leon County are hosting a series of events aimed at encouraging residents to learn the community’s contours by cycling through its famed Red Hills and canopy roads.

Learn about exploring Tallahassee-Leon County on two wheels with the following events coordinated by Tallahassee-Leon County Planning:

Tuesday, April 23

• Bike Month Proclamation – Leon County Commissioners will recognize May as National Bike Month with a formal proclamation at their meeting on April 23 in the Leon County Courthouse, located at 301 S. Monroe Street. This meeting, which begins at 3 p.m., is open to the public and will be streamed live on Facebook.com/LeonCounty.

Wednesday, April 24

• Bike Month Proclamation – Tallahassee City Commissioners will also recognize May as National Bike Month with a formal proclamation at their meeting on April 24 in City Hall, located at 300 S. Adams Street. This meeting, which begins at 4 p.m., is open to the public and will be streamed live on WCOT (Channel 13 on Comcast and CenturyLink), Talgov.com and Facebook.com/COTNews.
• Walking School Bus with Florida State University School – Planning staff will join elementary students at 7:30 a.m. in the SouthWood Town Center, located at the intersection of Four Oaks and Merchants Row boulevards. Escorted by police, the group will walk and bike from the town center to Florida State University School, located a few blocks away at 3000 School House Road. The Walking School Bus Program was created by the National Center for Safe Routes to School to promote pedestrian and cycling safety.

Saturday, May 4

• Tour de Farm: A Tour of Tallahassee’s Farmer’s Markets on Bike – Staff will lead participants on a tour of several farmer’s markets located within the city. Stops include the Tallahassee Downtown Marketplace, Frenchtown Farmer’s Market and Lake Ella Grower’s Market. Participants are encouraged to bring money and reusable bags to purchase and store items from each of the markets. The Tour de Farm will begin at 9:30 a.m. at Cascades Park, 1001 S. Gadsden Street. Registration for this event is required.

Saturday, May 11

• Preservation X (by)Transportation – In addition to being National Bike Month, May is also National Historic Preservation Month. To highlight the relationship between alternative transportation and historic preservation, the Planning Department, Leon County Office of Sustainability and the Grove Museum have partnered to provide a free event to the community. Beginning at 10 a.m. at the Grove Museum, located at 902 N. Monroe Street, there will be an alternative transportation expo followed by historic preservation tours at 11 a.m. During the event, staff will release a new self-guided bicycle and pedestrian map that highlights adaptive reuse and preservation projects in the Downtown, Midtown and South Monroe Street districts. Learn more about this event atTheGroveMuseum.com.

Tuesday, May 21

• Slow Roll Boomer Bike Ride – In partnership with AARP, this bike ride for all ages will offer a tour of central Tallahassee. The ride will begin at 5:30 p.m. at Cascades Park. From there, participants will travel through Cascades Park and along FAMU Way, getting an in-depth tour of Tallahassee’s Central Park and other nearby amenities. Participants will need to bring their own bike and helmet to participate. Registration for the Slow Roll Boomer Bike Ride is required.

Additionally, National Bike to Work Week is May 13-17. Get details about local bike paths and amenities to help plan your commute by bike at BikeTallahassee.com.

National Bike Month was established in 1956 by the League of American Bicyclists. Cycling offers many benefits, including increased physical fitness, financial savings and fewer impacts on the environment when compared to driving a vehicle.

The Tallahassee-Leon County Planning Department is a joint department of the City of Tallahassee and Leon County. It is responsible for land use, zoning, mobility planning and more. For more information, please visit Talgov.com/Planning or LeonCountyFL.gov/Planning.