Third Des Plaines River Trail Bike Ride returns Saturday

A community bike ride this weekend will take cyclists not quite over the river - but next to it - and through the woods in Des Plaines.

The 9-mile, family-friendly Des Plaines River Trail Bike Ride is back Saturday after a one-year absence, starting and ending at the Historic Methodist CampGround.

The ride began in 2011 after a three-year project to improve the trail was completed. The trail, once a muddy, impassable path of gravel and soil, was converted to a 10-foot wide granite road for cyclists and walkers.

This year's ride begins at 10 a.m. from the campground, located at Algonquin and Joseph J. Schwab (Campground) roads, heads south to Touhy Avenue, comes back north to near Golf Road, then back south to the campground.

The ride should take bikers anywhere from one to two hours to complete, said Cindy Morgan, director of Shift2Green, a Des Plaines-based nonprofit and one of the event sponsors.

The ride is also sponsored by the Des Plaines Bike and Pedestrian Advisory Committee, a cycling advocacy group established last year.

All riders must be registered, sign a waiver and wear a helmet to participate. Helmets will be on sale for $11 each for those who don't have one.

Morgan said some 100 riders already are registered for the free event, but she's expecting others will sign up in person on Saturday. Registration begins at 9 a.m.

One of the past rides had more than 300 participants, she said.

There will be free food and entertainment at the campground after the ride.