Amid high spirits and under sunny skies, Evanston residents of all ages pedaled down Ridge Avenue in the City’s annual Bike the Ridge ride. 

Under normal circumstances, cycling on Ridge is prohibited, but the morning of Sept. 26th the City shut down the street to all automobiles and invited cyclists to head outdoors and bike between Howard Street and Church Street. 

Mayor Daniel Biss kicked off Bike the Ridge at 9 a.m., and the event continued until 1 p.m.

Food trucks and local restaurants provided cyclists with a bite to eat, and the Evanston School of Rock performed live music at Ridgeville Park, 908 Seward St.

Kimberly Kull, the Division Chief of Emergency Management at the City of Evanston Fire Department, oversaw the Community Emergency Response Team.

CERT members, who are trained community residents, spent the morning diverting traffic away from Ridge and monitoring the event to ensure the safety of all cyclists. Kull said it is important that CERT members be celebrated for their help. 

The success of the annual Bike the Ridge event is often dependent on the weather, said Kull. “The weather’s terrific today, so it seems to me that it’s well attended,” she added.

Patrick Brady and his family originally planned on attending a breast cancer walk, but decided to turn it into a breast cancer ride instead. Clad in matching pink T-shirts, the family of five stopped outside Oakton Elementary School to participate in some arts and crafts. 

Outside of her apartment, Brigitte Giles watched her goddaughters Ajream and Ajourne Stinnette bike along Ridge Avenue. Giles said her goddaughters stayed with her over the weekend so they could attend the event. 

Ajream and Ajourne Stinnette loved Bike the Ridge, Giles said. “It’s a wonderful thing,” she added. “It gives them something to do.”