Families to pedal in annual Merced bike festival

Pedal Merced, the city’s annual family bike fest, is back.

The 10-mile bike ride for cyclists of all ages will take place Sunday. The event, sponsored by United Way of Merced County and other local groups, is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. at Merced High School, 205 W. Olive Ave.

The ride will follow bike paths through central Merced and end back at the high school, where cyclists will find lunch, raffle prizes and entertainment.

The event aims to get families on bike paths for exercise and fun. Registration is $10 per person or $25 for a group of four. This year, shirts will be available for $5. People may register up to an hour before the event.

Last year’s event gathered about 500 cyclists from around Merced County and neighboring areas, according to Debbie Ripley, one of the event organizers with United Way. The ride, Ripley said, will cross through Fahren’s Park, Applegate Park, Break Creek and Rahilly Park. Water and granola bars will be available at stops throughout the route.

Claudia Corchado, program manager with Cultiva La Salud (Cultivating Health) in Merced County, said the event is also a way to promote the use of bike paths. Bike paths are available throughout most of the city but are underused, she said.

“Unfortunately, a lot of people don’t notice the bike trails,” Corchado said. “They (bike paths) are safe, free and usually away from traffic.”

Having more people make use of the bike trails means more people are engaging in physical activity and more eyes are out in neighborhoods, which can even result in less crime, Corchado said.

Sunday’s weather is expected to be sunny with a high of 86, according to the National Weather Service.

This story was originally published October 7, 2015 at 6:35 PM with the headline "Families to pedal in annual Merced bike festival."