Participating cyclists in the first city Community Bike Ride pose for a group photo before beginning their ride.

 

CITRUS HEIGHTS, CA (MPG) - More than a dozen adult cyclists celebrated May Is Bike Month through participation in the City of Citrus Heights’ first Community Bike Ride, which took place from 3 to 4:40 p.m. Thursday, May 7 in the historic C-Bar-C Community Park along the Arcade-Cripple Creek Trail.

The event started with a safety brief and a welcome by Citrus Heights Mayor MariJane Lopez-Taff and other city officials including city manager Ash Feeney who celebrated the one-year anniversary of the dedication of the Arcade Cripple Creek Trail.

“We’re excited to celebrate the city’s first Community Bike Ride on this special anniversary,” Lopez-Taff said. “We hope that each and every year, more riders will take part in this annual event to ride along the Arcade-Cripple Creek trail and experience its scenic beauty.”

The city’s first Community Bike Ride started with a safety brief and a welcome by Citrus Heights Mayor MariJane Lopez-Taff, seen holding a bicycle helmet just before the event. City officials also celebrated the one-year anniversary of the dedication of the Arcade Cripple Creek Trail.

Riders enjoyed a leisurely winding scenic ride through the grounds of the C-Bar-C Park under sunny skies toward where the trail emerges at Fair Oaks Boulevard, crossed the busy street, and then made their way to Tempo Park where they enjoyed a brief rest stop before returning.

Motorcycle officers of the Citrus Heights Police Department accompanied the riders along the route for their safety.

Once they finished their ride and returned to C-Bar-C Park, all cyclists who participated received a meal coupon to Beach Hut Deli.

Representatives of the Sunrise Recreation and Parks District, the City of Citrus Heights and the Citrus Heights Police Activities League (PAL) were present at the event with informative booths describing upcoming projects, including the Gateway Activation Project (GAP) and future extension of the Arcade-Cripple Creek Trail.

Arriving riders at the Community Bike Ride were ready to go.

In 1873, William and Bridgett Carrick bought 320 acres in the community of Sylvan and started their family farm they called the C-Bar-C Ranch. Their nephew, Lester Carrick, and his wife Pansy, were later instrumental in the creation of C-Bar-C Park.

Today, the Arcade-Cripple Creek Trail is a 3.45-mile multi-use trail which starts at Arcade Creek Park Preserve and ends at Wachtel Way. The trail travels through Mitchell Village Park before veering off to connect with the back of Tempo Park. In all, the trail connects several neighborhoods to eight different parks, several schools and the Sunrise Marketplace.

The city will hold a community meeting from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Thursday, June 4 at the Sylvan Community Center, 7521 Community Drive to reveal plans for the next phase of the Arcade-Cripple Creek Trail, which will extend the trail from the Stock Ranch Nature Preserve to Sylvan Road, according to city communications officer Marisa Brown.

Representatives of the Sunrise Recreation and Parks District, the city of Citrus Heights and the Citrus Heights Police Athletic League (PAL) also set up informative booths describing upcoming projects, including the Gateway Activation Project (GAP) and future extension of the Arcade-Cripple Creek Trail.

The City of Citrus Heights, Sunrise Recreation and Park District, Orangevale Recreation and Park District, San Juan Unified School District, Sacramento County and SMUD have collaborated throughout the Arcade-Cripple Creek trail project’s development and its execution.

In collaboration with Sacramento Area Bicycle Advocates (SABA), the May is Bike Month and Citrus Heights Community Bike Ride initiatives are part of an important effort to encourage residents to explore biking as a healthy and sustainable way to get around, according to Brown.