Two bicycling events in Schaumburg

Schaumburg will host two of its annual bicycling events in a couple of weeks — first Mayor Al Larson’s Ride to Work on Friday, May 20, and then the Fahrrad Tour von Schaumburg on Sunday, May 22.

The Ride to Work falls on the final day of Bike to Work Week, May 16 to 20. The week focuses attention on cycling as a viable travel alternative and encourages people to reduce their automobile usage, a message which may resonate more than usual this year amid soaring gas prices.

Larson’s Ride to Work begins at 9:30 a.m. that day at the bike path outside the Meineke Recreation Center at 220 E. Weathersfield Way.

From there, participants will ride with Larson to Beech Drive, east on Beech to Abrahamsen Park, through the park to Summit and north on Summit to the bike path entrance to Schaumburg’s municipal grounds.

The mayor also will participate in the Fahrrad Tour von Schaumburg, which kicks off at noon May 22 at Blackwell Elementary School, 345 Walnut Lane.

The tour course consists of six miles of on- and off-street bike paths between the Schaumburg Park District’s Community Recreation Center and the village’s Robert O. Atcher Municipal Center.

Before riding, all participants must sign a liability waiver, available just before event at the CRC. Immediately following the ride, a picnic-style lunch will be served and musical entertainment provided.

The Schaumburg Park District will begin busing participants and their bicycles back to the CRC at 1:45 p.m., or participants are free to ride their bicycles back home.

Event T-shirts will be available at the end of the ride for $10 each.

The event is sponsored by the village and Schaumburg Park District.

For more information about the events, call the village’s Transportation Department at 311 in Schaumburg or (847) 923-3862 from outside Schaumburg.

The Transportation Department can also provide a newly printed Schaumburg Bike Path Route Map or information on various biking programs, including the “Adopt-A-Bike-Path” program.