Nearly 1,500 riders are expected Saturday July 11 for the sixth annual Owl Ride, Omaha’s nighttime urban cycling adventure. The unique recreational bike ride is the largest annual night bicycle ride between Chicago and Denver.
The 2015 ride starts at 10 p.m. at Lewis and Clark Landing on Omaha’s riverfront and follows a 17-mile course through downtown, Midtown, Dundee, Aksarben, Field Club and the Old Market, with “Owl perch’ stops and support along the way. A shorter 8-mile course is also available, making the Owl ride a fun, active experience for riders of all ages and abilities. A map of the course is included with this release.
Last year, some 1,400 participants rode the non-competitive tour through Omaha’s vibrant urban core. Registration numbers to date suggest a like turnout this year. The current extended weather forecast calls for dry and pleasant conditions.
It’s not too late to register. Participants can sign up on-line right up to the start of the event at owlride.org. Day-of-event registrations are also taken in person from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Sports Authority store at 885 S. 72nd Street; or beginning at 8 p.m. at the riverfront. The cost is $30 for individuals and $10 for riders 18 and under when accompanied by an adult; $35 and $15 the day of the event.
All cyclists must be equipped with, at a minimum, front lights and rear red reflectors, as required by state law for riding after dark, and a helmet. But many riders also decorate their bikes with everything from battery-powered holiday lights to custom neon creations to compete in the Bright Bike contest, enhancing the atmosphere of the ride.
The ride benefits the Meyer Foundation for Disabilities, which supports social and recreational programs for people with developmental disabilities in the Omaha metro area. MFD, a non-profit led and run by volunteers, funds community programs operated by the professional staff of the renowned Munroe-Meyer Institute at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and by other community partners. Go to omahadisabilities.org to learn more about MFD’s work and mission.
Major sponsors of the Owl Ride include Metro Credit Union, WOWT-Channel 6, Anderson Print Group, the University of Nebraska Medical Center, Nebraska Medicine, the Munroe-Meyer Institute, the Cline Williams Law Firm, Interstate Batteries, Whole Foods, Hy-Vee, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska, Sodexo, Sports Authority, Lawlor’s Custom Sportswear, State Farm, Oriental Trading, Papillion Sanitation, Blackstone District, Fruitful Design and Kollars Co.