Who:
Major Taylor Cycling Club Iowa
What:
We will ride a family friendly pace and will leave Ewing Park, head towards Easter Lake and stay on the trails around the lake. Instead of being a distance focused ride, we will ride for 45 minutes.
After our ride you are invited to watch the BMX races at Ewing Park. They start at 6pm. Miss Kittie is one of the racers you will get to see. She is local, the oldest BMX biker and is an amazing athlete. You can google her to learn more about her amazing journey. I can’t wait to see her in action. Here is a link to one story about her:
https://goodness-exchange.com/miss-kittie-bmx/
When:
Tuesday, August 16th at 5pm
Weather cancelations will be posted on the Major Taylor Cycling Club Facebook page. Please make sure you join it so you won’t miss them!
Where:
Meet us at Ewing Park (5300 Indianola Ave, Des Moines) at 5pm.
Why:
MTCCIA is the first Major Taylor cycling club in Iowa. There are Major Taylor cycling clubs all over the world and the only cycling club EVER to be named after a cyclist. We are excited to see this club established in Iowa.
Marshall Walter “Major” Taylor was an amazingly talented black athlete from 1878-1932. He was most likely given his nickname “Major” because of his military style clothing he wore as he entertained and performed bike stunts outside his local bike shop in Indianapolis. These performances launched him into becoming the cycling legend known today. He cycled on a track, was a professional road racer, did distance and sprints. The Worcester Whirlwind, as he was also affectionaly called, set numerous world records and won both World and National championships all while fighting harsh and cruel racism. Even through such hatred, he, along with those that came alongside him, paved the way for future black athletes, he became the second black world champion in any sport! Even though few know his name, it doesn’t diminish that he was one of the greatest cyclists of his time and his story continues to inspire those that hear it. Through his story and our club we hope to advocate for black cyclists by cultivating a supportive community of like minded cyclists that build up, encourage equity and spark passion for the sport of cycling so it can be more accessible regardless of socioeconomic background, ethnicity, or experience level.
We hope you will come ride with us!