The North of Grand Neighborhood Association has announced it is hosting a free bicycle ride on Aug. 25, prior to the annual Ingersoll Live event nearby.
Organizers say the ride is an opportunity to get out and experience the unique and historic neighborhoods, trails, parks, and other amenities that are served by the businesses, schools and institutions within the Ingersoll and Grand Avenue District.

The ride is family-friendly and will begin at 1 p.m. at 28th Street and Ingersoll Avenue. Riders will head east on Ingersoll to the Pappajohn Sculpture Park, south to the Martin Luther King Jr. extension, then east to Principal Park. From there the route will take riders west following the Raccoon River, passing Gray’s Lake and into Waterworks Park. Riders can choose to head back to Ingersoll via Greenwood Park (an approximately 10-mile loop), or they can continue on to Colby Park in Windsor Heights via trails. From Colby Park, riders can “double-back,” riding through Waterbury (one of Iowa’s most picturesque neighborhoods) to Polk and Kingman Boulevards and back to Ingersoll Avenue to complete the nearly 20-mile loop. The ride will include both urban street and recreational trail riding.

A drink ticket will be handed out to the first 50 riders which can be redeemed later in the day at Ingersoll Live. Free bike valet (donations recommended), provided by the Des Moines Bicycle Collective, will be available at the event.