Cyclists dressed in lights and glow-in-the-dark accessories enjoyed Siloam Springs' first ever Light the Night Bicycle Ride on Friday evening.
About 60 people -- ranging from toddlers hitching a ride behind their parents to teens and grandparents -- participated in the free, family-oriented event.
The evening began with a costume contest and a bike decorating contest in City Park. Cyclists then lined up to make the 4.5-mile ride from the park to James Butts Baseball Complex and back again.
Traffic directors in safety vests rode ahead to intersections to help make sure the group stayed safe.
The ride was designed to raise awareness about cycling and to let people see how much fun the sport is, according to Jessica Thompson. She and her father, Brian Thompson, organized the event.
The two cyclists came up with the idea for Light the Night while talking about using some of the fun-run ideas and brainstorming how they could be used for a bike ride.
"We thought 'why don't we just do it,'" Jessica said. "We've got a pretty big biking community in Siloam Springs."
They partnered with several groups to host the ride, including Main Street Siloam Springs and Siloam Peddlers, according to Meredith Bergstrom, executive director of Main Street Siloam Springs.
Emerson Goodwin, director of Bridges to Wellness, went on the bike ride. Goodwin was excited to see the community come together for the bike ride.
Bridges to Wellness, which was one of the sponsors of the event, is all about encouraging people to get out and be involved in physical activity while having fun, Goodwin said.
People who are willing to take action and organize this type of event are one of the great things about Siloam Springs, Goodwin said.
"It was really energizing seeing all the small children out riding safely in their helmets," he said.
Jessica said she was pleasantly surprised by how many people participated. She hopes to make the Light the Night ride an annual event: "I would love to see it happen again."
General News on 07/30/2014