Mayor and City Council’s Bike Ride is May 10

Published on April 30, 2025

AMES, Iowa – Ames Mayor John Haila and members of the Ames City Council invite the community to participate in a family-friendly bike ride around Ames, starting and ending at City Hall. The nearly 10-mile ride will begin at 9 a.m. on Saturday, May 10, in the west parking lot at Ames City Hall, 515 Clark Ave. Bicyclists of all ages and experience levels are welcome to join the ride. There is no pre-registration necessary or cost to participate. Bike helmets are strongly encouraged.

“May is National Bike Month, so it’s a great time to get out and enjoy our city on bicycle,” said Mayor Haila. “This year’s route will take us to several sites around Ames. As we’ve done in the past, we’ll stop to hear about improvements such as new playground equipment at Bandshell Park and the mini pitch being constructed at Lloyd Kurtz Park.”

Bicyclists will exit the City Hall parking lot and head east on Sixth Street to Bandshell Park. The route heads north along Crawford Avenue to Maxwell Avenue, then east along East 14th Street to Meadowlane Avenue and a stop at Carr Park. Then it’s on to Homewood Golf Course where bicyclists turn west toward Duff Avenue.

From the intersection of 20th Street and Duff Avenue, the route follows Duff Avenue north past Inis Grove Park to Grand Avenue. Using the shared-use path, bicyclists head north on Grand Avenue into Ada Hayden Heritage Park for a lap around Ada Hayden Lake before exiting at Harrison Road. At Eisenhower Avenue, the path heads south to Lloyd Kurtz Park for a brief stop at the mini pitch. Bicyclists continue along Eisenhower Avenue to Hayes Avenue toward Ames High School. 

The route continues along the shared-use path behind Ames High School to the Furman Aquatic Center and crossing 13th Street into Brookside Park. From there, bicyclists will follow Sixth Street east to Northwestern Avenue and back to City Hall.

Also, in celebration of National Bike Month, Mayor Haila and City Council members will kick off Bike to Work Week by hosting a free Bike Commuter Continental Breakfast from 7 to 9 a.m. on Monday, May 12, in front of City Hall. Bicyclists are invited to stop by for a snack and beverage on their way to work or school.

Other bike activities in May include a Bike Fair from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 31 at the Ames Public Library Auditorium and Plaza, 515 Douglas Ave. Participants can learn more about biking in our community through Ames Police, Parks and Recreation, and other organizations.

• Skunk River Cycles and other community volunteers will be on-site providing free maintenance and basic repairs on the Library Plaza. 
• Bike locks will be available for free to those who need them while supplies last. 
• Learn how to load a bike onto a CyRide bus bike rack.
• Bike Rodeo from 10:30 a.m. to noon on Douglas in front of the Library (No motorists allowed!)

For more information on the Mayor and City Council’s Bike Ride, contact Susan Gwiasda, Communications and Outreach, at susan.gwiasda@cityofames.org or 515.239.5204.

# # #