Today I participated in the first ever Jersey City Bicycle Ward Tour. Organized by BikeJC.org, it started and finished at Exchange Place, and with the threat of rain, (which never materialized, whew!) the cyclists came from all over. We were approximately 600 strong, We rode at a relaxed pace and through the wards of Jersey City. Led by a police escort, as we moved from one section to another,  it was wonderful to see the public stunned at the size of our group and you just know they were thinking, damn how come I didn’t know about this?

The people who rode were multicultural, music playing from their backpacks, dressed in very colorful attire or just unusual. Parents with kids, riders with pets in their packs (wish I’d gotten that photo), couples, friends, even people from out-of-town.

There were some steep hills but just as many downhills for that free ride… overall a wonderful experience. I saw spots in JC I’d not seen before, Lincoln Park with the fountains is gorgeous.

As we approached the finish line, we were welcomed by the band, The One and Nines, who were awesome. There were tents or areas set up with free coffee from Starbucks, yummy goodies from Made With Love. I bought the apple scone, yummmmmm!

The message we wanted to send was that Jersey City as it is right now is quite un-bike-friendly. No bicycle lanes, no bicycle parking. I think we made an impact by the sheer number of riders.

Visit my gallery of photos, here.