PORT HURON, MI — A dozen cyclists bundled against 50-degree temperatures Wednesday, May 20 as the Ride of Silence returned to Port Huron for the first time since before the COVID-19 pandemic.
The riders, along with two Port Huron Police Department bicycle officers, participated in the memorial ride, which honors cyclists injured or killed on public roadways while also raising awareness about bicycle safety.
The international Ride of Silence is held annually on the third Wednesday in May in communities around the world. Riders gathered at Lakeside Beach, 3670 Gratiot Ave., before departing at 7 p.m. on an approximately 10-mile route through the city.
Local organizers Janine Ulrich and Rita Carlson first brought the event to Port Huron in 2011, continuing annual rides through 2019 before the event was discontinued during the pandemic.
Carlson was unable to attend Wednesday’s ride, but Ulrich participated alongside the returning group.
Ulrich said the ride holds personal meaning for Carlson after her brother was killed while riding a bicycle.
“We started it because of Rita’s brother,” Ulrich said. “Anybody that knows anybody that got injured or died while cycling should attend.”
Ulrich said she was glad to see the event return after several years away and hopes it continues moving forward.
“We’re glad somebody wanted to take it over,” Ulrich said.
Dan Danner, who helped organize this year’s revival alongside members of the St. Clair County Trailblazers and other volunteers, said he hopes the event continues in the years ahead.
“We hope to continue it for many years to come,” Danner said.
The ride traveled at a slow pace of about 10 to 12 mph and was escorted by a hearse provided by Pollock-Randall Funeral Home and Port Huron Police bicycle officers.
According to organizers, previous Port Huron rides drew between 25 and 50 participants before the pandemic pause. Organizers said this year’s colder weather likely impacted turnout.
The Ride of Silence began in Dallas in 2003 after cyclist Larry Schwartz was killed by the mirror of a passing bus. The event has since expanded internationally, with organizers reporting rides in hundreds of locations worldwide each year.
According to the organization’s mission statement, the Ride of Silence exists to honor bicyclists killed by motorists, promote sharing the road and raise awareness about bicycling safety.
Organizers also describe the event as a way to honor injured or fallen riders while reminding motorists and cyclists alike that “the road is there for all to share.”
Contact reporter Andy Jeffrey at ajeffrey@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Port Huron Times Herald: Memorial bicycle ride returns to Port Huron waterfront
Reporting by Andy Jeffrey, Port Huron Times Herald / Port Huron Times Herald
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