Pedals & Pathways: NH Olympian, Valley Cemetery, Queen City Bike Gathering, etc.
Let’s talk about: a NH Olympian, Valley Cemetery, Queen City Bike Gathering, etc.
Navigating Manchester’s Urban Paths
Hello Manchester! Welcome yet again to our recurring column about adventures in our beautiful city on foot, scooter, bicycle, etc. We’ll venture afield from Manchester a bit this time, but the sights will still be great, and the news should still be relevant.
In this edition, let’s talk about ….
- NH native to compete in Paris games
- Valley cemetery revitalization
- Running: Happy Hour Hustle
- Death at Bikes & Beers in Portsmouth
- Public summer group ride schedule
- Maine library lending e-bikes
- Queen City Bike gathering at Candia Road Brewing
NH native to compete in Paris games
This is the feel-good story of the week (at least it was for me), and I urge you to read it.
Howie Sanborn, from Alton NH, is a military veteran and wheelchair triathlete who will represent the U.S. at the Paralympics later this summer. Howie became paralyzed below his waist after a distracted driver hit him on his bicycle.
Before his accident at age 30, Sanborn was a member of the U.S. Army’s Golden Knight Parachute Team, and once jumped over Pease Air Force Base.
Sanborn is now based in Colorado, but NHPR did a brief story about him. Another good article about the accident which paralyzed him appeared in Foster’s Daily Democrat.
Valley cemetery revitalization
I grew up in a small midwestern town, within one city block of a large cemetery, and to us kids, it was like a beautiful park, with its neatly trimmed lawn, large old trees, and a creek alongside. Manchester has its own version of that at Valley Cemetery, though it fell into disrepair a while back. But now the city is putting serious effort into resurrecting it. Read more here.
Running: Happy Hour Hustle
I first wrote about this series of races in early May, and they’re still going on. Still to come are:
- Week 4: Thursday, August 1, 2024 (Bedford)
- Benefitting charities supported by the Bedford Trails to Ales
- Week 5: Thursday, September 19, 2024 (Manchester)
- Benefitting Legal Aid – NH Campaign for Legal Services
Death at Bikes & Beers in Portsmouth
It’s been a rough year for NH cyclists.
Bob Kennedy of Durham, NH, died after he suffered a head injury during a Seacoast charity bike ride Saturday. He was 76. Kennedy was riding in the New Hampshire Bikes & Beers event in Portsmouth when an accident occurred. Few details of the accident or ensuing crash have been released.
Kennedy had finished the Boston Marathon several times, most recently in April of this year, finishing in just under 4 hours and 50 minutes, placing 14th in the men’s 75-79 age group.
The Bikes & Beers event featured 15-, 30- and 45-mile routes through the coast and benefited the Bike-Walk Alliance of New Hampshire and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, according to organizers.
Public summer group ride schedule
Join a group for an organized ride this summer! Queen City Bike typically has two rides per week departing from their shop and/or a designated trail head. Below are a few upcoming rides. For more info, see here.
| Date | Day of Week | Type | Departing | Departing From |
| Aug 4 | Sunday | Longer Road/Gravel | 10:00 AM | TBD² |
| Aug 7 | Wednesday | Community Trail | 5:45 PM | Rockingham Trailhead (271 Mammoth Rd.)¹ |
| Aug 14 | Wednesday | Community Trail | 5:45 PM | Rockingham Trailhead (271 Mammoth Rd.)¹ |
Maine library lending e-bikes
Now here’s some innovative thinking: in Maine, a pilot program for Libraries to loan E-bikes. It lets residents with library cards at participating libraries borrow Class I electric-assist bicycles and explore how they can help with car-free personal transportation. The goal is to let more people see how practical and fun e-bikes are. The pilot program will rotate a set of bikes through six libraries for a month at a time at each library. Co-sponsored by The Bicycle Coalition of Maine and MaineDOT.
Queen City Bike Collective gathering at Candia Road Brewing Company
QC Bike will host a gathering at Candia Road Brewing Company on Wednesday, August 7th from 4pm – 8pm. They plan to thank their amazing volunteers, talk about QC Bike happenings and prepare for the September 22nd Tour of Manchester ride. So bring a friend and enjoy some light appetizers, drinks, raffle prizes and mingle with the QC Bike volunteers and supporters. They hope you can stop by!
(Oh, and by the way, Candia Road Brewing has some of the best beer in Manchester, and their tiny kitchen does amazing food too!)
Also, don’t forget about the upcoming Tour of Manchester ride – scheduled for September 22, 2024 from 8 AM to 12 PM. This always-fun event is a 30-mile family-friendly bike ride around the city of Manchester, NH. A shorter ride is also available. See more details here.
Call for Input
We very much want to hear from you! Do you have any questions or concerns? What topics would you like us to cover? Send your feedback our way and we’ll get on it! We want to ensure this column meets your needs.
Stay safe and have fun out there!
