Bicyclists Trek Across America, the 19th Ward

On a typical Saturday afternoon in spring, Mount Greenwood Park is awash with runners, dog walkers and energetic kids with their parents in tow.

On Saturday, May 18, the park—and the neighborhood—was filled with about 200 bicycle riders participating in Bike Across America Without Leaving the 19th Ward.

The event was hosted by Ald. Matt O’Shea and State Rep. Fran Hurley, who says it is unique to the ward. Bike Ambassadors provided by the city of Chicago led the group of bicyclists on a four-mile ride through the streets of Mount Greenwood, stopping at designated corners for kids to have their “passports” stamped.

This year’s destinations were Hamlin, TX; Spaulding, OK; Lawndale, Calif.; and Trumbull, Conn..

Hurley, who has been involved with Bike Across America almost each year since its beginning under former Ald. Ginger Rugai, said that it has taken place “for about 10 or 15 years. It’s a fun, free, family event...with a minimal cost.”

For Kathleen, who declined to give her last name, this is her third year participating with kids Stephen, 6, and Ella, 7.

“I like that we get stickers [on the passports] the best,” Ella said, while Stephen said he enjoyed the bananas and cold water bottles at the end the most.

Young riders also had a raffle to look forward to upon their return, with the chance to win a new bike, helmets and other biking accessories.

Bike Ambassador Sarah Johnson attributed some of the success of the ride to the “perfect” 75 degree weather. “It was really fun,” Johnson said.

Participants ranged in age from toddlers to senior citizens. Community member John W. Callaghan, Jr. said he was biking through the neighborhood when he saw the bicyclists gathering in front of the park field house and decided to join in.

As a bicyclist who usually rides about five miles a day, after the ride Callaghan said,” It was all right. Going through the farm [at the Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences] was interesting.”

Callaghan has been riding bikes since the 1940s and is frequently seen pedaling around the neighborhood.

Biking is a strong part of the 19th Ward, which hosts the Beverly Hills Cycling Classic each July in addition to Bike Across America.

Could Chicago’s bike-sharing program, which is intended for commuters and tourists to use as alternate transportation and is slated to launch in the Loop this summer, be the next bike-friendly program for the community?

Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s administration hopes to expand the bike-sharing program to the city’s neighborhoods

 “It would be tough for us to get it, because we’re the end of the city. I’m going to make a play for it, though,” O’Shea said.