Explore St. Louis' Art World from Your Bike

A well-rounded kid is built from exposure to activities that fuel his mind and body – activities that are not only educational, but fun enough to grab his wandering attention span.

But with only 24 hours in a day and a world of excitement to explore, what family-friendly activity should you fit into your free time? Do you go to the art museum for a little injection of culture? Or hit the bike trail to burn off all that adolescent energy?

Trailnet is offering families the opportunity to do both – to explore and exercise in the great outdoors. On Saturday, April 12, famiies are invited to take part in Trailnet’s The Art of Riding Bicycle Ride and Public Art Tour – a free guided bike tour of St. Louis’ most inspired outdoor art installations.

 “Each year, Trailnet produces family-friendly Community Rides throughout the St. Louis region,” said Molly Pearson, TravelGreen coordinator with Trailnet, via email. “Each ride has a theme, with stops along the way. Each stop is interactive, featuring neighborhood gems that make St. Louis such a great place to live. A public art tour was a natural fit, with such a rich culture and a variety of installations.”

The ride begins at The Pulitzer Foundation for The Arts in the Grand Center Arts District. It winds through the Shaw, Tower Grove East and Benton Park neighborhoods, making stops at several public art displays throughout the city.

Along the route, five renowned artists will present their works, exposing riders to the power and value of public art in the St. Louis community. For instance, Peat Wollaeger, renowned for his Eyez Murals throughout the City, will take riders through his creative process while Dail Chambers of the Yeyo Arts Collective discusses alternative art forms that appear in our everyday lives. In addition, Ilene Berman will introduce riders to her tricycle-powered mobile art studio.

A few other top secret locales and artists means there’s the promise of education and excitement at every mile throughout the ride.

Remarked Pearson, “We hope that riders will take away from The Art of Riding an increased appreciation of public art in the community and be able to identify art where they were least expecting to find it. We also treat Community Rides as an opportunity for new riders to feel more comfortable riding on City streets, with increased confidence to reach destination by bike. Riding with a group is a great way to get started!”

Registration for The Art of Riding begins at 10 a.m. at The Pulitzer Foundation, 3716 Washington Blvd., and the ride takes off at 10:30 a.m. The ride is open to anyone who is able to ride on their own, unassisted by parents or training wheels, and understands proper riding behavior – about age 10 and up. Pearson noted that toddlers pulled along in trailers are welcome, but may end up restless by the end.

The ride is approximately 11 miles, but there is an opportunity for riders who would prefer a shorter event to end after the third stop at 8 miles.

The Art of Riding is brought to St. Louis with support from the Regional Arts Commission and sponsored by Enterprise Holdings Foundation and Missouri Arts Council. For more information on The Art of Riding or other upcoming family-friendly rides, visit www.trailnet.org or call 314-436-1324.

Explore St. Louis' art world from the back of your bike http://t.co/BMauZbvCrX @Trailnet hosts "The Art of Riding" this Sat.

— Nicole Plegge (@howmomrolls) April 9, 2014