Chris Smith is a photographer for Kaplan Early Learning. Matthew Burczyk, is the Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator for the City of Winston-Salem Department of Transportation. For the past several months they've combined forces to create the Winston-Salem Community Bike Ride.

Smith says that while serious riders are more than welcome to join the Community Ride, the event is open to riders of all levels and ages. He especially encourages families with children and bikers looking for a reason to dust off their old bicycles to attend.

Burczyk says an advantage to a group ride, especially in light of a recent spike in bicycle accidents throughout the Triad, is the added safety in numbers. According to Burczyk, the Community Bike Ride routes will maximize the use of local Greenways and low volume, low speed roads. Burczyk is a daily bike rider. He says that Winston-Salem has a network of bike-friendly side streets and local roads, and recommends using the City's bike map when selecting a route. 

The first Winston-Salem Community Bike Ride will be August 28, and it begins at Cafe Prada, 390 North Broad Street in Winston-Salem. The trip will cover 9-and-a-half miles of the Salem Creek Greenway, and according to Smith, it won't be the last. He and Burczyk plan on making it a weekly event open to riders throughout the Triad.