Damp weather doesn't keep cyclists away from Arlington Heights tour
Arlington Heights may be best known for its world-class horse racing track and lively downtown, but its extensive network of bike paths is noteworthy in its own right.
Novice and experienced riders alike gathered Saturday morning to enjoy that village feature as the town's Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Commission hosted the Bike Arlington Heights Bike Ride.
Despite the damp and dreary weather, cyclists still took either a full 14-mile bike tour of the village or shorter 4-mile loop, both guided by members of the commission and Arlington Heights Police Department bike patrol.
Conner Martin, 10, and his dad, Peter, were toward the front of the group of more than a dozen riders during the 14-mile tour. Rolling at a pace of 10 mph, Peter said it was nice to ride with a group.
Although it was a noncompetitive event, Conner wanted to be the first to arrive back at the starting point, North School Park.
"It was fun," Conner said. "I loved it, and I wanted to 'win.'"
"We did it last year (also) and he's pretty proud of himself to be able to ride 14 miles," Peter said.