Cedar City lets the good times roll with inaugural ‘Slow Roll’ public bike ride

Written by Jeff Richards
June 8, 2019

CEDAR CITY — Dozens of pedal-pushers of all ages showed up for Cedar City’s inaugural “Slow Roll” public bicycle ride Thursday evening.

Participants ride in Cedar City’s inaugural “Slow Roll” community bicycle ride, Cedar City, Utah, June 6, 2019 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News

With the roads temporarily closed to vehicle traffic around the Southern Utah University campus, riders were able to have the streets to themselves. Paced by a Cedar City Police officer on a motorcycle, most participants completed at least one mile-long lap and some finished three or more.

Todd Hageman, the city’s events director, said the idea was to get people in the community together doing something that just about everyone already knows how to do.

“We all learned how to ride a bike at some point,” he said.

Although most participants rode bicycles, there were some who walked, roller skated, skateboarded or even pushed strollers.

“We closed down the city streets for one hour just for people to come out and have a good time and reconnect with old friends and make new ones,” Hageman said.

Cedar City events director Todd Hageman uses a bullhorn to address the participants in the inaugural “Slow Roll” community bicycle ride, Cedar City, Utah, June 6, 2019 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News

Hageman piloted his own red vintage bicycle during the ride, pausing often to take photos and video clips of the other participants with his cellphone.

Participants were treated to free ice cream at the end of the ride, and kids were given stickers and collapsible frisbees by Cedar City Police officers. A local DJ provided lively background music.

The event, the first of three “Slow Roll” events planned this summer, attracted at least 200 participants, and Hageman says he hopes even more people will turn out for the next two rides, scheduled for July 11 and Aug. 8.

“We had an amazing turnout. People got funky,” Hageman said. “They dressed up their bikes, they had a lot of good fun.”

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2019, all rights reserved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jeff Richards, a native of Salt Lake City with family roots in Panguitch, lived in Moab for 20 years before joining St. George News in 2017. Jeff is a longtime journalist and secondary school teacher. He and his wife Penny are the parents of five daughters. They also have two young grandsons. Jeff and his family enjoy swimming, camping, sightseeing, reading, and taking pictures.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @stgnews@moabjeff@stgnewssports

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