Go for a Spin
It’s a summer weekend in Detroit, and the streets are quiet — except for a pack of bicyclists. Through the streets they glide, stopping at a local church with an enormous garden. This is a bike tour with a purpose — learning about urban farming. Another group of bikers stops off at Detroit’s Eastern Market to sample some just-smoked ribs and listen to jazz on a sunny afternoon, while, at the same time, a group of parents and small children ride carefully along Detroit’s new RiverWalk, guided by a patient, adept young man.
Coincidence? Nope. These are just some of the fabulous bike tours offered by Wheelhouse Detroit.
Karen Gage and Kelli Kavanaugh, both Detroit natives and avid biking enthusiasts, run Wheelhouse Detroit, located on the Detroit River. Though Wheelhouse is little more than an open-air storefront, it’s jammed with bikes, bike gear and enthusiastic cyclists. In addition to a variety of guided tours, Wheelhouse also rents pristine, comfy bikes by the hour — perfect for an idyllic spin along the three-mile, riverfront bike path. Rolling through William G. Milliken State Park and Harbor, Michigan’s first urban state park, is a perfect way to see a hidden, lovely part of the city.
Tours range in length from 3 to 25 miles, and any pedaling ability is welcome. Specialty tours examine the Underground Railroad, local architecture and the Detroit food scene — to name just a few. In late September, the Tour de Troit (3,200 people participated in 2010) takes over the streets for a day.
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