On Sunday, June 10th, beginning at 9 am, the greater Newport community will gather and then set out from Fort Adams State Park to ride bicycles along the scenic ocean coastline together.
“This is the day when everyone, regardless of experience, comes out and rides together along our beautiful shoreline,” explains Don Jagoe, Board Chair of the host organization, Bike Newport.
It’s the annual “Elliot’s Ride for Everyone” – and everyone is invited and encouraged to join in.
The goal of the event is to bring together people of every age, every walk of life, every style of biking, and every level of experience and comfort – to ride together in this beautiful place and to shine a spotlight on safe, comfortable, and confident sharing of our roads.
Lots of steps are being taken to ensure that the event truly is a ride for everyone. To ensure that money is not an obstacle, there are no registration fees. To ensure that transportation is not a barrier, Durham Bus Company is running a free bus service to and from Fort Adams for people and bikes. To be sure everyone has a bike, Bike Newport will have a fleet of first-come first-served bikes available to borrow. To introduce the concept of public bicycles, Title Sponsor P3GM Newport Bikeshare Solutions is setting up a pilot bike share system in Newport for the event weekend.
Demonstrating that biking is indeed for everyone, Bike-On adaptive bicycles of Warwick and their clients will bring and ride bikes for people with special needs – including recumbents, hand-cycles, and wheelchair bicycles. “We are really excited about this event,” shared Bike-On’s Inclusive Cycling Specialist, Kyle Printer. “Our primary goal over all others is to put everyone on a bike. Elliot’s Ride for Everyone is promoting inclusion in cycling and the Rhode Island community. This is how community works together to get folks out and riding!”
With “Bike Share” systems popping up in cities everywhere and on the tip of everyone’s tongues, the P3GM pilot is already creating a buzz. Everyone wanting to try out the shared bicycles should check in at www.newportbikeshare.com for more information, and download the Noa Rider smart phone app. Any fees collected for the bike share rental – and all other contributions received – will be donated 100% to the Elliot Kaminitz Bicycle Safety Fund.
The main bike route is a six-mile loop that circles from the Fort to the ocean and back. This loop will use cones to guide riders and will be escorted by Newport Police. Bike Newport marshals will be on the road to provide assistance. People looking for a longer ride can choose the 10- or 22-mile options. The youngest riders will enjoy the Kids Zone / Tour de Fort inside of the Fort grounds where there will be food, music, displays and activities. Participants can also choose the 2-mile Bay Walk.
Elliot’s Ride, formerly the Father’s Day Ride, is in its sixth year and exists to honor the memory of bicycle safety enthusiast Elliot Kaminitz while shining a big spotlight on the importance of safe and courteous sharing of the roads. Dr. Kaminitz was killed while riding his bicycle on Memorial Blvd opposite Easton’s Beach in June, 2012. His wife, Renee Kaminitz has served on the board of Bike Newport since 2013. “My family has made Elliot’s passion for bike safety his legacy.”
Elliot’s Ride for Everyone is produced by Bike Newport, in partnership with the Newport County YMCA and the Fort Adams Trust. Sponsors include P3GM Newport Bike Share, the RIDOT Department of Highway Safety, RIPTA, Corrigan Financial Services, Worldways Social Marketing, KVH, Reynolds DeWalt Printing, and Bike-On. All funds raised by voluntary contributions support bicycle safety education jointly provided by Bike Newport and the YMCA.
Please visit www.elliotsride.org for more information, to complete the free registration in advance, and to contribute to the Elliot Kaminitz Bicycle Safety Fund.