Duluth Mayor Kicks Off 6th Annual Bike Ride Through the City

DULUTH, Minn. —

Dozens of bikers crowded the front steps of Duluth’s City Hall, to join Mayor Emily Larson on a bike ride through the city.

The sixth annual Mayor’s Bike Ride and luncheon is part of Bus-Bike-Walk-Duluth, a month-long celebration in the city.

From city hall, the group of people on bicycles of all sizes, rode through downtown toward a luncheon on the east end.

The event’s keynote speaker is Jason Hall, founder of “Slow Roll Detroit,” a weekly bike ride he intended to invigorate citizens in his own hometown.

“The main mission was really selfish; it was to get ourselves back into the city,” Hall said.  “But once we started to meet people and we saw how it brought people together, then we had no choice but to take it as far as it could go.  We started in Detroit and now we’re in five other cities.”

He says he’s been impressed with Duluth so far.

“Everybody knows about you guys are doing here and the money you’re putting into the world class mountain bike trails,” Hall said.  “Once that happens, you guys will be that place that people come to ride bikes!”

Hall will lead a Slow Roll Duluth bike ride tomorrow at 3:00pm through the Lincoln Park neighborhood.

That ride will begin at the corner of Michigan Street and twenty 1st Avenue West.