The Dallas area has a wide variety of bike tour events to join, including routes ranging from 8 to 60 miles.
Dallas' warm climate makes it a cycling destination for most of the year, and there are a wide range of cycling tours throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area. These tours occur in and around Dallas and include rides for charity and and outreach cycling events. Participation in these events is not limited; just about anyone can join in, provided you meet the registration fee or fundraising requirements. The tours generally occur during the spring and fall to take advantage of mild temperatures.
Red Hot Chili Pepper Rally
The Calumet Community Center in Dallas sponsors this rally each year in August as its largest fundraising event. The tour offers 20, 40 and 60-mile courses which run through the West Oak Cliff, Grand Prairie, Cedar Hill and Midlothian areas in and around Dallas. Rest stops are available every 10 miles, which have bathrooms, fruit, snacks and volunteers to assist with accidents or other problems on the course. According to Calumet's website, the rally has attracted as many as 5,000 riders in recent years.
Tour Dallas
Tour Dallas is a privately run bike tour that occurs around April of every year. While the tour is mostly for fun and recreation, each year the operators choose an organization to donate money and manpower to, as a way to give back to the community. The tour has 8, 20 and 30-mile routes, with a celebration including pizza and drinks at the finish line. Recently the tour has attracted around 3,000 riders of varying ages, skill and fitness levels. The tour route does not close any roadways, so cyclists will be sharing the road with motor vehicles.
Soldier Ride Texas
Soldier Ride Texas is a 40-mile tour from Dallas to Fort Worth which benefits the Wounded Warrior Project, a nonprofit that assists wounded soldiers from the American military. The program provides bicycles and equipment to wounded soldiers to help with their physical and mental rehabilitation. During 2009, nearly 200 wounded soldiers participated in the program. The general public is invited to join the tour which is held in late March in Dallas. The tour is one-way, however participants are eligible for a free train ride back to Dallas after the event is over.
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