On a crisp Sunday morning in October, hundreds of princesses, fairies and superheroes gathered on their bikes at Magnolia Park in Arlington, Mass., brandishing bags full of candy and treats, ready to run off to the trails and parks of Arlington, Belmont and Cambridge.
The third year Halloween Family Bike Race it happened on October 22 with successful participation.
Children and their families started the day by exchanging goodies, admiring costumes and decorating bicycles. Afterwards, some of those who were dressed up took part in a Halloween costume fashion show, which gave the riders a chance to show off their creative and festive looks.
Riding the wave of sugar and excitement, cyclists began a 2.9-mile ride around the neighborhood at about 10:30 a.m. and headed down the Minuteman Trail, past Alewife Brook Reserve to Clay Pit Pond. Participants ended their trip at Joey’s Park in Belmont for snacks and time to socialize with others who took part in the spooky adventure.
Paul Morgan, the main organizer behind the event, he described how they change the route every year to keep things new and exciting.
“Every year it’s on a different path [with] different places from start to finish,” Morgan said.
Morgan also leads year-round family bike rides in the neighborhood, with similar events occurring in the spring and summer. Morgan is motivated to address climate change by promoting cycling for fun through group bike rides, such as the annual Halloween Family Bike event.
Morgan explained the planning behind this year’s Halloween event.
“We have 35 to 40 volunteers who keep us and our riders safe on the road, and we really appreciate them,” Morgan said. “Families really like to go trick or treating in the morning because that’s when the kids are at their highest energy, so [it] it works fantastically for them.”
The giggles and chatter of children around Magnolia Park at the start of the day illustrates his point. An event volunteer interviewed at the site expressed how great this year’s Halloween family bike ride was.
“This is probably the biggest and most organized version of [the bike ride] I saw “ they said
The volunteer went on to emphasize how the program has grown over the years.
“[Paul] He started wanting to go on family bike rides, and it just grew and grew. … So it’s not just Somerville or Arlington or Cambridge, but it tends to be people who live in and around those cities,” the volunteer added.
Jake Wilson, the Somerville city councilman, participated as a volunteer marshall in one family bike ride in August. dOnations covers all event organization costs.
Wilson explained his role as marshal in an email to the Belmont Select Board.
“My duties as a marshall include directing the participating bicycle traffic and vehicle traffic at an intersection along the road,” he wrote. “The use of marshals allowed the event to happen without the need for police details. … The marshalls were given excellent instructions on how to perform our duties, and everything went smoothly.
Wilson added that any initial concerns he had about the bike ride disappeared when he arrived at the event.
“This was my first experience with a Family Bike Ride, and I was blown away by the level of organization and overall operation. I was apprehensive about how my daughter, a beginner cyclist, would fare as participant. After seeing how everything turned out that morning, I immediately had zero concerns for her,” he wrote
At the end of the trip, there was a meeting in a publicationc park in Boston where volunteers provided ice cream and activities.
“I was one of six volunteers who helped serve the ice cream, while others helped with games and activities that were set up by the organizers. At the end, all the waste from the event was collected and the area was even more cleaner than when I drove the previous evening,“Wilson he wrote
In an email to the organizers, parents Katie Baratta wrote that she applauds Morgan’s attention to safety while riding with her two-year-old while eight and a half months pregnant..
“I really appreciated Paul’s attention to detail in choosing the route to minimize conflicts with automobiles and in handling any remaining safety issues along the route,” he wrote. “There were volunteers at key points and intersections for exits and families and promoting visibility to motorists. There were flags and / or cones in places where more visibility was needed.”
Baratta hasLso described the joy of seeing so many children in costume and how fun this opportunity was for the city. She explained that the bike ride helps support local businesses along the way, as riders can stop and get food and drinks along the way.
“Many families in these communities rely on bicycles for a significant portion of (or all of) their transportation.eds,” he wrote. “This race will show these families how easily – and safely – them they can get to Belmont Center by bike if they want to patronize establishments like Ranc’s, A Chocolate Dream, the bookstore, and many other stores and eateries that Belmont parents and children already enjoy.”
The Halloween Family Bike Ride event had a huge impact on the surrounding communities and created lasting memories for its participants of all ages.
Les raisons les plus courantes de l’infidélité entre couples sont l’infidélité et le manque de confiance. À une époque sans téléphones portables ni Internet, les problèmes de méfiance et de déloyauté étaient moins problématiques qu’ils ne le sont aujourd’hui.