The ride events are ramping up for the year. May has been busy, and while some go far afield to experience rides and races in other states, you don’t have to (though they are fun.) There are all types of rides close by. Here are a few coming up.
The 2025 Ride of Silence begins at 7 PM, Wednesday May 21st, at the Jayne Snyder Trails Center. Riders will continue onto Pinnacle Arena Drive to N Street. Follow the N Street Bikeway to 13th Street, then south to K Street to the north Capitol steps for a pause to remember cyclists who have been killed or injured while riding. Hosted by Great Plains Trails Club.
There is still one Tour de Lincoln coming up in May. Meet at 6:00 Thursday at the Jayne Snyder Trail Center for a loop on city trails covering a different quadrant of the city every week. Hosted by Great Plains Trails Network.
Some bike shops host group rides. Cycle Works has a no-drop ride on Saturday mornings, and Good Life Cyclery has a women-only ride on Tuesday evenings. I’m sure there are more.
Tuesday evenings are busy with the Nacho ride on the MoPac to Bailey’s Local in Eagle.
On the first and third Thursdays through June, July, and August you can ride a little further to Elmwood for music and pies at the Pie Ride, both the pizza and fruit varieties. If you don’t want to ride the whole way, about a 40 mile round trip depending on where you ride from. You can start in Eagle or Wabash, if you want to stay on trails. The music is always top notch, and the pies are great, too.
Trail Trek is coming up June 22, GPTN’s biggest event and an important fundraiser. This year they’re mixing it up and staging out of East High School with six different route options ranging from 9 to 48 miles. The long ride will take you down the MoPac to Wabash and back.
BRAN, the Bike Ride Ride Across Nebraska is coming up the first week of June with a beautiful route, and near the end of June, in the southwest part of the state this year, the Tour de Nebraska.
There are more smaller group rides on other nights of the week, ranging from pavement to limestone trails to gravel to mountain biking. Or you can just ride whenever you want. If trails are your thing Great Plains Trails Network also sponsors the Trail-A-Thon, a year-long challenge covering 92 miles of city trails.
If you’re looking specifically for mountain biking events, check out T.H.O.R.‘s calendar.
If you commute by bike, try turning your commutes into tours by taking the long way home. You might be surprised what unexplored surprises await.