Scavenger hunt to get wheels spinning for bike month

Professional BMX rider Ricardo Laguna talks about bike safety during the Bike Swap & Rally at Cornerstone Park, 1600 Wigwam Parkway, April 6. The city of Henderson plans to keep bicycle-related activities going with the Discover Our Trails Scavenger Hunt, which is planned throughout May in honor of National Bike Month.

The city of Henderson is seeking to put the community on the path to being a cyclist-friendly community with new bicycle-related activities.

The city has developed the Discover Our Trails Scavenger Hunt, which is scheduled to last throughout May in honor of National Bike Month. The activity is free and open to the public.

Scott Jarvis, a project engineer and the bicycle program manager for the city of Henderson, said that when coming up with this idea, the main focus was a way to get the community active on Henderson trails.

“We have world-class trails,” Jarvis said.

The scavenger hunt allows people to find clues on three Henderson trails. Courses range from two miles to five miles round trip.

“It’s open to people of any skill level,” said Nicole Johnson, a spokeswoman for the city of Henderson.

There is also a bonus trail on the McCullough Hills Trail, a six-mile round trip.

Participants are awarded five points for each completed hunt and an additional five points for the bonus trail.

Each hunt has riddles and clues. For each clue cracked, players earn points when they not only find but also take photos of the landmarks or markers that are discovered.

The teams with the most points are slated to be incorporated into a raffle to win prizes such as a Garmin GPS watch or a $100 gift card to a bike shop.

All photos must be submitted to
bikehenderson@cityofhenderson.com.

Even after the game is finished, people can still play.

Johnson said the city might post photos on the website.

“We don’t want to give away clues,” she said.

Jarvis said the city plans to make this an annual event.

“We have more than 80 miles of trails to do, so,” he said.

The scavenger hunt feeds into the city’s larger goal to be accredited by the League of American Bicyclists, an organization that promotes bicycle use for fun, fitness and transportation.

Jarvis said cities can apply twice a year. Henderson has been taking steps to enhance its application for the February 2014 submission.

To be eligible, the city must meet five areas: education, enforcement, engineering and evaluation and planning.

“It looks at what plans we have in place to move us forward,” Jarvis said.

The city must requalify for this certification every three years.

Jarvis said more activities have been created to coincide with the process.

In April, the city held its first Bike Swap & Rally at Cornerstone Park, 1600 Wigwam Parkway.

The event allowed participants to trade or sell used bicycles, such as mountain bikes, BMX bikes and triathlon bikes, along with parts.

Demonstrations on repairs, recycling and safety also were provided.

About 2,000 people showed up to the event, Johnson said.

“That’s pretty good for a first-time event,” she said.

She added that it also allowed people to check out a new park in Henderson.

But the city is just getting the ball rolling.

Jarvis said the city is planning other events, such as the River Mountain Ride on Oct. 12, when it will have a 60-mile bicycle ride in honor of Henderson’s 60th anniversary.

“We will probably also have a family component and other various-lengthed rides,” he said.

The city is also planning the Stroll N’ Stride event for Nov. 11.

Modeled after an event in Colombia, the event is expected to shut down certain streets within the city and allow the community to come out with bicycles –– and also Rollerblades and other devices –– to roam freely in the streets.

The event is slated to have food and entertainment, too.

“Other cities around the country have done something similar,” Jarvis said.

He said the aim is to put on the event twice a year.

For more information, visit bikehenderson.org.

Contact Henderson/Anthem View reporter Michael Lyle at mlyle@viewnews.com or 702-387-5201.