Valley Bike Month in Mesa

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Marily's Wake-Up Wednesday pick of the week is Valley Bike Month.

April is halfway over: Have you celebrated Valley Bike Month yet?  It's as if our city is telling us: "This is your last chance to get outside and enjoy the weather before it's burning hot around here." 

And weather you're a cyclist with a road bike, a casual rider with a cruiser bike, or you've got a mountain bike that needs to get dirty, there's something for you.  April 20th is Bike2Work Day if you need an excuse to get a commute in on your bicycle.

East Valley cyclists may want to check out Tortilla Flats or Usery Pass Road, and mountain bikers can try  Hawes Loop Mountain Bike Trail.

If you just want to get out for a casual ride, this Mesa Bike Map might be helpful.  Streets with bike lanes are marked in red, Bike paths--streets without bike lanes but are still accessible for riders--are in blue.  In general, the halfway streets going north/south are good for biking because there is less traffic and fewer stoplights.  Check out Horne, Harris, 24th St, and 32nd St, (etc) especially on the north end of Mesa near Brown and on the south end of Mesa near the 60 freeway.

Good places to check out without car traffic are the paved canals and the multi-use path near Brown Road between Center and Harris. 

For families, bring the kids' bikes or riding toys to these parks that have paved paths:

Mountain View Park near Lindsey and Brown

Augusta Ranch Park near Guadalupe and Ellsworth

Monterey Park near Guadalupe and Power

Greenfield Park near Greenfield and Southern

Valencia Park near Greenfield and University

My boys at Mountain View Park.

Please share some of your favorite places around town for a bike ride.  And of course remember--ride safely!