Last Friday evening I was one of 250 to 300 bicyclists who met at Trumbull Avenue and West Warren for the monthly Critical Mass urban bike ride. The ride is a worldwide event held on the last Friday of the month in over 300 cities. It’s designed to bring awareness to the unfriendliness bicyclists sometimes face while riding on city streets.
Riders included families, assorted hipsters, older folks and others from Detroit and the surrounding communities. Some were dressed in full riding garb, others in shorts, sandals and tee-shirts. A few were dressed as if they were going out to dinner or a play. Overall, it was a casual bunch of cyclists out for an evening ride in Detroit.
The informal 12 to 14 mile bike route took us south on Trumbull Avenue, through the fringes of the Detroit Medical Center and out to the Packard Plant on East Grand Boulevard. We zigzagged our way through the tight streets near the Packard ruins to Farnsworth Street, an eastside artist colony. Riding through that area we passed many community gardens, homes being rehabbed and smiling kids standing on a street corner with their parents, waving us on. People love bicycles en masse, especially kids.
Leaving that lively eastside community, we rolled north on Mt Elliott on our way to Hamtramck, that tiny island of a city surrounded by Detroit and Highland Park. When we came to Holbrook, we took a quick left and pedaled west four-to-five blocks to Joseph Campau Street. At Joseph Campau we swung right and rode north through the city’s main commercial strip to Caniff Street. Riding through this compact area, families and others could be seen on the upper porches of the many two-story flats found throughout Hamtramck, cheering us on and waving as they barbecued on the warm summer evening. I also saw a couple of party store owners trying to increase sales by waving us in.
At Caniff, we took a left and headed west. Shortly after, we slowly crossed over a series of rough, slippery railroad tracks before the street passed over I-75. We stayed on Caniff until we hit Oakland Street and then headed south to Chicago Boulevard. At Chicago we turned right into the historic East Arden Park and Boston-Edison Historic Districts, an enclave of early 20th Century residential homes and mansions built by many of Detroit’s early industrialists and business owners.
Exiting the historic neighborhoods, we snaked our way south, skirting the Henry Ford Hospital to the New Center Park on East Grand Boulevard and Second Street. There, the ride unofficially ended with an after-party, featuring free music in the park.
I also posted an entry on the Halloween ride – “Critical Mass or Masquerade”. It can be viewed by clicking here.
This was my first critical mass and I have say it was a truly awesome experience, sans the tube I blew out 30 min into the ride. Thankfully someone was nice enough to help me with a quick patch job, but all hope was lost. The herd had migrated and we were out of the pack. Still had fun though and can’t wait for the end of this month.
Hi James–
It was my first as well and it was a blast. It’s one of those monthly rides that I kept meaning to do and finally made it.
Bummer on the tube. I broke a spoke that evening and fortunately the wheel didn’t get too wobbly.
See you at the next one!
Charlie
It was the first CM for my boyfriend and i, too. i see us in the background there of your first picture! 🙂
i’ve been wanting to join the fun since i found out about it over a year ago but needed a new bike. i loved it and i’ll definitely be back. Hopefully we’ll keep gaining numbers! (Feels great to call myself part of that collective “we.”)
peace,
rah.
Hi Sarah–
Congrats on your first ride! I liked the pace, not too fast, yet fast enough to get a little exercise.
We’ll see how many will show up this Friday (the 27th).
Cool that you are in one of the pictures. Show all of your friends!
Charlie
Old city rollerblader here….knees blown out but can still ride a bike…what time do the mass riders meet on the last friday of the month? Thank You
Bill
Hi Bill-
Riders meet around 6:30 p.m. at W. Warren and Trumbull and the ride takes off about 7 p.m. I understand October is the last ride of the year. Come on out and ride, it’s a lot of fun!
Charlie
Sounds like a fabulous ‘Tour de Detroit’ a la CM with a great summary by Charlie Z — and an after party ta boot: My kind of crowd! Though it’ll be hard to outdo the great time I had biking w/you last Saturday, I look forward to riding w/the gang next month.
Peace out.
Maggie D
Hi Maggie–
The Detroit Mass rides are a blast and they draw a great bunch of riders. Had a great time with you on the Hubbell ride last Saturday. That is a worthwhile early summer event that directly benefits midtown Detroit. Glad you’ll be joining in next month’s Critical Mass ride.
Appreciate you comments!
Charlie