Joy Ride: Families Invited to Pedal Past the Best of the ‘Burg at the Tour de Belt June 7

The Capital Area Greenbelt Association (CAGA) is rolling out a personal invitation:  Join them for a “party on wheels” on Sunday, June 7th.

That’s when the 26th annual, family-friendly Tour de Belt (TDB) weaves its way through an  18-mile-long highlight reel of Harrisburg in all its early summertime glory.

 CAGA–an all-volunteer nonprofit devoted to keeping the region moving, connected, clean and green–invites everyone to enjoy the ride:  everyone from the tiniest trike riders to long-time retirees, from amateurs to pros, and from true-blue residents to inquisitive tourists.

CAGA Vice President Diane Kripas said she would be thrilled to break the 1,000-rider mark this year, touting it as the “most fun way to see the city.”  The ride occurs rain or shine and begins and ends at HACC, starting at 9 am and ending in a high-spirited Finish Line Fest, complete with food trucks and fellowship.

CAGA President Doug Hill emphasized that Tour de Belt is the one and only fundraiser held each year for the Greenbelt, raising vital funds to “repair, maintain and expand” the leafy 20-mile loop nicknamed the “emerald necklace.”  Every fresh-air fan who uses the trail has the opportunity to support it during TDB.

 The TDB loop snakes through rustic nature trails, majestic urban cityscapes, glistening riverside views, and charming neighborhoods, with fully supported rest stops and the occasional strutting-geese obstacle course.  Favorite destinations along the route include Wildwood Lake, Reservoir Park, the Five Senses Garden and the Farm Show Complex.

The ride is well staffed and safe, Kripas and Hill underscore, with 40 ride guides; frequent water stations; clean rest stops with fresh oranges, crackers, fig bars and other snacks donated by Karns; first aid stations; bike mechanics; and traffic support. There’s no need to puzzle out a map or decipher a byzantine route on your phone. Safety is the organizers’ number one priority. Strategic road closures are in effect so all is safe, especially along detours across busy city streets.

Hill, Kripas and event chair Doug Knauss send special thanks to municipal partners that include the City of Harrisburg, Paxtang and Penbrook boroughs, Susquehanna and Swatara townships, and Dauphin County. The goal is “No riders left behind,” Kripas said.

 After participating in the event for nine years and chairing it for four, the state retiree said her favorite memories include seeing young parents pulling babies in trailers, and 80-somethings pedaling along with vigor, or at least, fortitude. She has seen 10-year-olds complete all 20 miles with gusto, and older bikers who struggle but still triumph.  She also enjoys seeing hard-core cyclists, first-timers and people who never saw the city on two wheels before. She also enjoys seeing groups sporting matching themed shirts, like TDB regulars, the Dauphin County Parks and Recreation team. Hill shares her enthusiasm.

“My favorite memory of TDB is watching riders of every stripe – families, couples, bike clubs, church groups, fitness clubs and more, from the City, from the suburbs, and from across the country – sharing an early summer day on the trail,” Hill said.  “It’s so good to see the connection of neighborhoods, nature, and community.”

Kripas said the route is mostly flat but the dreaded “mountain” at Reservoir Park looms large in her memory banks when she scaled it her first year with her then-15-year-old daughter.

She also embraces the connections she witnesses—neighbors greeting neighbors, annual riders reuniting, strangers meeting, and even our own residents seeing Harrisburg’s most breathtaking sites with fresh eyes. A majority of the trail is on dedicated paths with parts on local roads, she said. The trail is a mixture of paved, gravel, and crushed stone.

Hill also reassures riders that the Tour de Belt is not the Tour de France. It’s not a race…it’s a ride-at-your-own pace, hang-out-if-you-want, enjoy-the-ride experience.

“The TdB is a wonderful friends-and-family event, a great opportunity to be outdoors and see Harrisburg at its finest,” he said.

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This year, the need for funds is heightened, as new construction by the PennDOT office building in south Harrisburg has caused a breach in the belt that CAGA volunteers are working to close.

 Fortunately, the city gave CAGA’s “Buckle the Best” campaign a big push, in the form of a $750,000 grant from the state Department of Community and Economic Development, augmented by another $150,000 grant from the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

 Hill, as a diehard runner, walker and cyclist himself hailing from midtown Harrisburg, is one of the event’s biggest boosters:  “Find a group of friends, have a wonderful day in the saddle, and join us in supporting the Capital Area Greenbelt.”