Bike Palatine family Octoberfest ride Sept. 20
The Bike Palatine Club hosts a free ride on Saturday, Sept. 20, as part of Family Day during Palatine Rotary Club's Octoberfest weekend, Sept. 19-21.
Starting at 11 a.m. from Towne Square (Smith and Slade streets), this casual family ride rolls about 12 miles through Deer Grove Forest Preserve and back to Towne Square.
While the ride is free, riders should register at Towne Square that morning. The registration desk will be open at 10:30 a.m. and the first 40 to register will get a free T-shirt. All cyclists must wear helmets and those under 14 must be accompanied by an adult. Registration forms are available at www.bikepalatine.com.
The Bike Palatine Club also is jointly sponsoring the Full Moon Ride with the Palatine Park District on Oct. 10. The club, an affiliate of the park district, has run weekly casual rides on Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. from the Birchwood Recreation Center.
In addition, the club conducted a free bike checkup clinic in the spring, provided free bike valet service for the 4th of July fireworks, and with the Palatine Park District staffed a safety rodeo for riding rookies between 5 and 10 years old.
Formed in 2009, the club's mission is to make the community more bike-friendly by offering educational and outreach programs to encourage cycling, and to make cycling safer and more enjoyable by recommending infrastructure improvements as well as integration with neighboring communities.
Membership is $15 per household. Information is at www.bikepalatine.com.