Air up the tires and oil up the chains, it’s time for the annual bike ride that takes riders through the city, county and across the old U.S. 80 Bridge to Louisiana and back again.
The Vicksburg Main Street Program’s seventh annual Bricks and Spokes bike ride is Saturday, starting at the Vicksburg Senior Center, 801 South St., at 8 a.m.
“They get to see the city in a different way by bicycle,” planning committee member Lisa Burkhalter said. “The view from the bridge, it’s pretty spectacular.”
Riders can choose from four different courses consisting of a 10, 30, 50, and 62-mile ride. All courses start downtown and cross the old U.S. 80 Bridge into Louisiana, but from there the courses differ with some staying in the neighboring state longer than others. Some riders will also see more of Warren County than others, but all rides end in downtown Vicksburg.
Bicycles of every variety including road, mountain, triathlon and tandem bikes are acceptable to participate. A rider doesn’t have to be an expert; in fact, riders of any skill level can join.
“You can be a beginner or you can be advanced. There’s something for everybody,” Burkhalter said.
Joe Giambrone, member of the planning committee, said the event is a good experience for all ages.
“It’s a healthy, family-oriented type event,” he said. “We have little kids to 70 year olds out there.”
There will be the rest area/aide stations throughout the routes for riders to get some snacks on their journey. Support and gear vehicles will drive along the routes to offer help with blown tires or other roadblocks. After returning downtown, riders can enjoy the sounds of live music and be treated to a prepared meal at the after party.
The main objective of the ride is to bring awareness to bicycling and make Vicksburg a bicycle friendly community, Giambrone said.
He enjoys participating in the ride each year and said his favorite aspect is getting to ride with people from around the state and beyond.
“This brings in other riders and that’s fun,” Giambrone said.
Burkhalter said the ride gets people active and it gets them downtown in conjunction with the Downtown Fall Festival and the Old Court House Flea Market, which are on the same day.
Riders who preregister will receive a T-shirt and goodie bag, and the first 200 registered riders will receive a Polar Insulated water bottle. Registration for the race is $40 per rider.
“One thing special about this year is that we lost one of our dear, sweet volunteers to cancer and this year’s ride is in memory of her, Mary Ellen Flowers. We will make a donation in Mary Ellen’s name to the Cancer Foundation,” Vicksburg Main Street executive director Kim Hopkins said.
Volunteers and sponsors are still being accepted. For more information or to register, contact the Vicksburg Main Street Program at 601-634-4527 or visit bricksandspokes.racesonline.com.