Ugly Aloha Shirt Rides

Ugly Aloha Shirt riders in December included (front row) Roland Tanicala, Tommy Noyes, Ugliest Aloha Shirt contest winner Bruce Whale, Audrey Valenciano, Steven Yee and Roy Yamagata. On back row: Scott McCubbins, Lori Stitt, Lori Benkert, Karen Yee, Larry LaSota, and Angelo Catiggay. Photo by Lem Soria

Kaua‘i Path board member Billy O’Sullivan is a fun guy. He recently sent out a brief e-mail saying “Hey bicycle fans, let’s pedal? Last week’s inaugural business-paced Ugly Aloha Shirt ride was a riot … We gotta get this regular. Feel free to add friends to this email list.”

The next scheduled Ugly Aloha Shirt ride will start at 4:40 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 14, from the Kaua‘i War Memorial Convention Hall parking lot, 4191 Hardy Street, Lihu‘e. The route will be through the Molokoa Subdivision, past Vidinha Stadium, into Kaua‘i Lagoons, to Ninini Lighthouse, and then back the same way. These are leisurely rides so nobody gets left behind.

Last month, 15 riders checked out that route. Lori Benkert commented, “Great ride, and not hard for novice riders. Thanks for the bike tips.”

Benefits of cultivating participation in recurring free, low-stress rides include showing novices how to safely navigate busy streets wearing everyday casual attire for practical transportation. Additionally, socializing on our local streets is an attraction.

Do other communities engage in similar themed fun rides?

Kaua‘i’s chapter of the Sierra Club and Kaua‘i Path partner in promoting the Tour de Po‘ipu, coming up on Sunday morning, Feb. 7. This ride will feature three options from easy to challenging, and enable participants guilt-free couch time for the Super Bowl later that afternoon. Meet at the Po‘ipu Beach Park for an 8:30 a.m. start, details are at www.kauaipath.org.

Every Monday from April through September, Detroit’s Slow Roll features rotating starting points, routes and ending locations showcasing the city’s many attractions, art projects, interesting neighborhoods, architecture and historic landmarks. The route is typically 9 to 14 miles and features a charity auction or food drive. The Slow Roll often plans the route around major city events and festivals — a great way for people of all ages and interests to come together.

Tommy Noyes

CicLAvia, Los Angeles’ wildly successful open streets event, has demonstrated the demand for public space events in historically car-centric cities. Held multiple times a year, the season commences in the spring at various locations in Los Angeles. Each event features unique routes and lots of local culture including food trucks, live music and interesting collaborations with organizations from all over town. CicLAvia coordinates hubs along the route that feature different entertainment, information, and even bike repairs. The events are open to everyone; in previous years 180,000 visitors have combed the car-free route.

The Slow Food Cycle Sunday held last August was one of British Columbia’s Sea-to-Sky Corridor’s largest cycling events. The valley’s flat, gentle, paved and grated roads make the destination perfect for the relaxed rider. The Slow Food Cycle, in its 11^th year, celebrates farmers in the community, with 4,000 cyclists riding 16 miles (25 kilometers) and back through the gorgeous Pemberton Valley. Riders can take their time, combining the slow food movement with the slow bike movement.

Get in touch with Kaua‘i Path if you’d like an Ugly Aloha Shirt ride near you.

• Tommy Noyes is Kaua‘i Path’s executive director, a League of American Bicyclists Certified Instructor and active with the Kaua‘i Medical Reserve Corps.