After nearly two years of pandemic pandemonium, people are burned out, stressed, experiencing unprecedented mental health issues and feeling isolated. Keith Cook got creative to inspire fellowship.
Bike Ride Enthusiast
Cook attended Bowling Green State University in the early 2000s before settling in Toledo. Since Cook was in his 20s, bike riding has been a release to improve cardiovascular health and relieve stress. Now, as a father in his 30s, Cook wanted to include his daughter in his passion for the blacktop. Expanding the bike riding experience and including larger groups of people was only a matter of time.
For Keith, biking is a “calm and relaxing way to work out” and a way to admire our city’s housing and architecture. More than a cathartic physical activity, Cook also learns “about . . . businesses opening in the city by riding my bike (and) observing the progress of construction sites.” To share the experience with others, Cook began a weekly riding group.
Bike Rides Matter
“Bike Rides Matter was simply my daughter and I including the community in our current Daddy/Daughter activity,” Cook explains. Cook is also a member of another group with similar goals, The Toledo Run Group, which also inspired him to get Toledo moving again.
Bike Rides Matter hosts regular rides during riding season, including the popular Glow Roll (think “kool” bikes lit up at night and music playing with dozens of bicyclists), Sunday Slow Rolls and Trail Rides. The group rolls with positive energy, befriending those they encounter. The group recently held its last ride of the year just before Halloween, and is planning a holiday party to continue to celebrate their newfound fellowship.
Take a Ride through the 419
If you’ve found yourself desperate to get out of the house or a way to reconnect with others, all are welcome to join Bike Rides Matter when the new season begins in 2022. According to Keith, the group is composed of diverse people who value health, and bike rides are an activity that can be enjoyed even with Covid precautions in place. The motto—Fun, Fitness, and Fellowship—is fulfilled one five-mile ride at a time.
Facebook or Instagram @bikeridesmatter419
