Dayton cyclists to kick off the biking season with Ride to Work Day

Gil Esparza stretches before he goes on his bike ride near Xenia, Wednesday May 17, 2023. Esparza is the founder of Warriors on Wheels, which supplies bicycles to military and veterans across the country. MARSHALL GORBY\STAFF

Gil Esparza stretches before he goes on his bike ride near Xenia, Wednesday May 17, 2023. Esparza is the founder of Warriors on Wheels, which supplies bicycles to military and veterans across the country. MARSHALL GORBY\STAFF
Local News
By
May 18, 2023
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Hundreds of cycling enthusiasts will converge on RiverScape MetroPark on Friday for the annual Bike to Work Day, which asks people across the country to use human-powered transportation this spring.

Five Rivers MetroParks is celebrating National Bike to Work Day with its annual Pancake Breakfast at RiverScape from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. Visitors will enjoy free breakfast, coffee, live music, cycling-related exhibitors, a photo booth and more, the agency said.

For those who don’t want to ride a considerable distance, participants are welcome to park their cars at a trail access area and ride to RiverScape MetroPark from a closer starting point.

During the 2021 event, 172 cyclists biked 2,885 miles to RiverScape, and of those who attended, 127 biked to work for the first time, according to MetroParks.

Navy veteran Gil Esparza began biking to work while working for the Greene County courts and Veterans’ Services. Now retired, biking is his work, providing bicycles to veterans through his foundation Warriors on Wheels, and repairing bikes part-time at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

Warriors on Wheels founder Gil Esparza enjoys a bike ride near Xenia, Wednesday May 17, 2023. MARSHALL GORBY\STAFF

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“Early in the morning, you get your endorphins firing, which gives you that clear mind,” Esparza said. “I don’t make decisions that are big unless I’ve taken at least a 45-minute bike ride.”

Besides the physical health benefits of cycling, the mental health benefits also drive Esparza and other veterans stick with cycling, he said.

“That’s the conversation right now,” Esparza said. “People are struggling mentally. And we want them to be healthy. For us, our mission, our hope is to encourage others with an interest in cycling to get started, to share all the benefits we find that come with cycling.”

Ohio boasts 1,523 miles of paved bike trails, more than any other state. There are 18,000 miles of U.S. Bicycle Routes across the United States.

The Dayton region is home to 350 miles of paved trails, making the Miami Valley the nation’s largest paved trail network, said MetroParks outdoor recreation coordinator Jordan Hart.

“Our community has a rich history of being a bike friendly region, which is beneficial for residents and an economic driver,” Hart said.

Cycling enthusiasts are welcome to attend the Miami Valley Cycling Summit at the downtown Dayton Metro Library after breakfast, for talks by cycling enthusiasts and local leaders, tours and more. Register at bikemiamivalley.org/cycling-summit-2023.

Hundreds of cyclists come to RiverScape annually for MetroParks' Bike to Work Day pancake breakfast. CONTRIBUTED

Credit: Jordan Hart

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Credit: Jordan Hart

Hundreds of cyclists will converge on Dayton for the Bike to Work Day pancake breakfast Friday. CONTRIBUTED

Credit: Jessica Hansbauer

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Credit: Jessica Hansbauer

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