A spin around the city
Steve Miller is confident that, regardless of the weather today, hundreds, maybe thousands, of cyclists will hop on their two-wheelers and take a spin around Boston for the second annual Hub on Wheels event. Riders can pick a course of 10, 20, 30, or 40 miles that starts and ends at City Hall Plaza, where they'll be greeted by food, music, and entertainment.
Miller, one of the main organizers of the city-sponsored event, had a pilot ride last year that started at Franklin Park. It was a success but, above all, it lit up the eyes of Mayor Thomas Menino.
``The mayor was there, and he had such a good time that he said, `Next year, let's do it at City Hall Plaza, and let's see if we can get the state to close down Storrow Drive,' " Miller recalled. ``And that's what we did."
Miller, a year-round cyclist, said the ride has three-pronged benefits.
``It promotes physical activity, it celebrates the city, and it raises money for the Boston Digital Bridge Foundation," he said, referring to the nonprofit organization that offers computer equipment and technology to underserved communities.
As for the route, he said, ``Anyone can ride 10 miles, and that course is pretty flat."
The course goes from City Hall Plaza down Cambridge Street, up a car-free Storrow Drive, then spreads out to the Emerald Necklace chain of parks, Hyde Park, or the Forest Hills Cemetery, and around the harbor, depending on the length of the ride.
``Last year we got letters from people thanking us for showing them parts of the city they never realized were there," said Miller.
Also helping organize the ride is Steve Gag, the mayor's adviser for technology education, and Olympic cyclist and Wellesley native Nicole Freedman.
The ride, for which helmets are mandatory, starts at 8 a.m., and costs $35 for those not registered in advance.
