Bike Night, San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo: A City with a Rich Heritage

San Luis Obispo (SLO), located in California, is a city with a rich heritage and a cultural atmosphere that is different from that of most US cities. The town is located on a hill between San Francisco and Los Angeles. It is highly regarded as one of the United States' oldest societies. The city is perhaps best known for the Madonna Inn and the Fremont Theatre. The city's other draws include Bubblegum Alley and its architectural museum. It is also said that the city has a maze of secret passages that elude residents and anybody who hears about them. Besides the different attractions to the city, it is the countless number of events that have attracted the most people to the city over the years. Several events have been organized periodically, including the Olympic Flame Relay, the yearly Mozart festival, and the Christmas Parade, which has been held for many years now. Other notable events attributed to this city are the Cinco de Mayo celebrations, Plein Air Festival, Festival Mosiac as well as the California Festival of Beers (Riggs et al.). All these events have helped in creating a name for San Luis Obispo as a city with inhabitants who like to have fun.

The Popular Bike Night Event

However, in my case, it is none of the above festivals that have attracted me to this beautiful landscaped city. The event that caught my attention is the bike night. Since its inception in June 2000, this event has become a popular attraction in this town than anywhere else (Angel). The event is conducted every month during the first Thursday. Bike night is characterized by the gathering of people following the end of the farmer's market. For most residents of this town, bike night is always considered when planning individual and family calendars.

Experiencing the Thrill of Bike Night

Given the hype surrounding the bike night event, I could not afford to miss out. I was among the first people to enter attendance, and I was joined by spectators, as well as the participants. We gathered at Mission Plaza, full of excitement and ready to kick-off the event. It is a time that excites everybody in attendance as one individual I interviewed explained to me, "I always look forward to this day since it helps me experience another side of life." I sought to find out more about this 'other side of life' from my interviewee, named Mike. He explained to me that this event offers the opportunity to have fun, interact with friends and other locals and also provide a temporary break from the busy work life. Another biker I interviewed was Anthony who elucidated to me that his main reason for coming to this event was to have a family bonding time. As I observed, I saw that he was accompanied by his three children.

The History of Bike Night

Before this event started, I chose to use this time to establish the history of the event. I decided that the best method to collect this data would be to interview the organizers. In this regard, I proceeded to arrange an audience with one of the events manager, Benjamin Steyaert, who told me that bike night was started in 2000 by a group of bikers who wanted to keep the culture of promoting cycling. This group was made up of friends who wanted to have some fun after leaving the Farmer's Market. The events manager continued to explain to me that "In only a few months, this ritual started by a group of friends attracted the attention of others who inquired if they could join, soon dozens became hundreds and bike night was established." From the way things have turned out, it is evidently clear that the event has been a success since then, as the crowd numbers that are in attendance every subsequent year steadily increase. This year, there are over 2,000 participants, about 1000 of whom are bikers and the rest spectators who have come to cheer on their friends and family.

The Bike Night Experience

Since I was in attendance, I got the chance to experience the thrill of such an event first hand. The downtown SLO streets were teaming with life as people continued to gather. Most of whom were merchants who had attended the prior Farmer's Market and were using this time to relax and have some fun after a long and busy day. Crowds were heard shouting "Bike Night! Bike Night!" and these chants seemed to allude to the fact that the event was almost commencing. I came to learn that participation here is free and any individual who has a bicycle can join at will. Every event has a theme that everyone abides by, and everything they do, including their attire, decorations to their bikes and costumes are aimed at illustrating the theme for the day. The event I attended was themed "Knights in shining armor."

The Bike Tour and Conclusion

As the bike tour was commencing, I took time to follow up the proceedings to determine the routes and the other aspects of the event that I needed to know. This study would be guided by several research questions including; what are the routes? How do they observe the day's theme? What do they gain? And what happens at the conclusion of the event? These are the questions that I sought to find answers to. At around 9.00 pm, after the meeting, the enthusiastic bikers proceed to exit the plaza and head towards Nipomo Street passing through Monterey. The bikers move at a cruising speed as this is not a competition but rather a fun-based participation. This is exemplified by the fact that friends or family members keep pace with each other throughout the event. As such, the group heads towards downtown Nipomo, where they then branch in the direction of Marsh Street. On arriving at Santa Rosa Street, they congregate at the parking lot located midway between the streets of Higuera and Marsh. Here, they undertake another massive celebration characterized by excited chants and deafening cheers.

A few minutes later, lights at the Santa Rosa Street corner turn green and once again, the bikers systematically ride towards Higuera maintaining their positions and formation. To keep up with them, I had to acquire my bike, and this first-hand participation and experience in the event excited me beyond words. It was tough keeping up with the riders in consideration of all traffic rules and trying to learn through observation and occasional interviews with the bikers beside me. Nonetheless, I had to fulfill both tasks for my research. In one instance, I met an old fellow cruising beside me, and we struck a conversation. He told me that he comes to the event to keep fit and add excitement to his years. He said me that his motivation is the fact that a healthy and happy life is a long life. He then challenged me to race, accelerated and disappeared into the other bikers. On completing the first lap, the more eccentric bikers opt to ride through San Luis in circles creating a spectacular site.

The Advantage of Outdoor Activities

The 10-mile long biking route offers the splendid chance of witnessing the city's beautiful landscape of rolling hills characterized by their impressive peaks. The strong biking community in this town provides one with a broad sense of belonging as one gets to meet other people with similar interests. To most people, this is a ritual that cleanses their souls and gives their life meaning and something to look forward to. Outdoors are the best ways to spend your recreational time as they are simple, fun, convenient and healthy. Benjamin Steyaert, the man who created this event together with his friends, realized that the society needed something to bring people together from their individual and separate busy schedules. A fun activity that will allow individuals to engage collectively in one event, with one mission, theme, challenge, and reward. In so doing, he has provided the people of San Luis Obispo with something to differentiate them and give an identity and pride. Bike night is a day that most people in the city have marked on their calendars. It is a day that I have also marked on my calendar since I would love to attend every single subsequent even since it guarantees a new experience for every time one participates. This is considered the advantage of outdoor activities since the prior experiences are not as the next ones. The next bike night will have a different theme and more additional participants. Just as the rest of the people, I cannot wait to be a part of it.

Works Cited

Angel, Myron. History of San Luis Obispo County, California; with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers. Vol. 1., 2002.

Riggs, William W, et al. "City of San Luis Obispo, Open Space Survey." (2015): 1.