Schaumburg mayor leads bike to work ride

Schaumburg Mayor Al Larson and Schaumburg Township Elementary District 54 Board President Char Kegarise led an annual Bike to Work Week ride through the village Friday morning on a two-passenger pedal cart.

They were followed by a dozen others on traditional bicycles, including representatives of the Schaumburg Park District and the village's transportation department.

The route was to Larson's own workplace at village hall from the park district's Meinecke Recreation Center in the same neighborhood.

A lifelong proponent of cycling as a transportation alternative, Larson said he's come to discover it can truly be a lifelong activity.

“I have bad knees, but pedalling doesn't bother me,” he said.

The event was a prelude to the longer Fahrrad Tour von Schaumburg ride that starts at noon Sunday, May 22, from Blackwell Elementary School at 345 N. Walnut Lane before also heading to village hall at 101 Schaumburg Court. The Fahrrad began more than 20 years ago when Larson was looking for a way to show off the village's bikeway system and the park district took up the challenge.

“The park district embraced it,” Larson said. “It's a good example of intergovernmental cooperation.”