Registration has opened for the July 11 Owl Ride, Omaha’s nighttime urban cycling adventure. The unique recreational bike ride, now in its sixth year, is the largest annual night bicycle ride between Chicago and Denver.
Register online here. 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. Riders who register by June 21 will receive a free T-shirt.
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 7-mile course also is available, making the Owl Ride a fun, active experience for riders of all ages and abilities. Click here to view a preliminary map of the course.
Last year, nearly 2,000 participants rode the non-competitive tour through Omaha’s vibrant urban core. In past years, bicycle decorations ranging from battery-powered holiday lights to custom neon creations enhanced the atmosphere of the ride.
Awards will be given for the best decorated bikes. Riders during registration also can buy tickets for the chance to win one of two special urban bikes built by local designers in the “Biker Buildoff.”
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 UNMC’s renowned Munroe-Meyer Institute and by other community partners. Click here to learn more about MFD’s work and mission.
Major sponsors of the Owl Ride include Metro Credit Union, UNMC, WOWT-Channel 6, Sodexo, Nebraska Medicine, the Munroe-Meyer Institute, Fruitful Design, Whole Foods, Hy-Vee, Cline Williams law firm, Sports Authority, Lawlor’s Custom Sportswear, State Farm, Shredding Solutions, Field Club of Omaha, Road ID, Papillion Sanitation, and Anderson Print Group.