Go Green, Go Dutch, Go Bike to ArtPrize

On Saturday, September 24, 2011, a sea of bicyclists dressed in orange t-shirts
will leave Calvin College and ride into downtown Grand Rapids.
Calvin professor of geology, geography and environmental studies Henk Aay is
leading the group of bicyclists downtown for a preview tour of ArtPrize this
weekend--and not just for the art. Aay is mapping out a route for this year's
edition of "Go Green, Go Dutch, Go Bike," the cycling event he pioneered at
Calvin in 2009.
"This is not a race at all," said Aay. "This is simply a fun morning where you
can cycle to ArtPrize and enjoy some of the exhibits."
At 9 a.m., riders will leave from the entrance to Van Noord Arena and cycle
the three-and-a-half miles downtown and back, with stops for lunch, discussion
and art appreciation. (Saturday, Oct. 1 is the alternate date in case of heavy
rain.)
Though the inaugural Go Bike event in 2009 was rained out, last year's ride
drew some 30 cyclists. "It was fun--a chance to get to know some people you
might normally not get to know," said education professor Tom Hoeksema. "I
don't remember being stressed at all by the biking."
Cycling like the Dutch
Last year, the event was kicked off with a speech from Grand Rapids mayor
George Heartwell. This year's dignitary is Paul Heule, a Calvin grad and
president of Eenhorn, a local property management company, who serves as the
Honorary Consul General of the Netherlands. "He'll welcome us in his official
capacity," Aay said.
Go Green, Go Dutch, Go Bike is a national event, Aay said, which aims to
reflect the importance of the bicycle in Dutch culture. "It's one thing to be a
bicycle enthusiast and to go racing and do it for fitness," he said, "but the
unique thing about Dutch culture is they use the bike for all these short
trips. When you go visit a friend, you go on the bike. When you’re all
dressed up in a dress and heels, you go on the bike. For short distances of
under five kilometers, they go on the bike."
Aay hopes that Go Green, Go Dutch, Go Bike will promote cycling culture in the
U.S. He's designed the Calvin edition of the event as a fundraiser for The
Motion Initiative, a Grand Rapids nonprofit that provides bicycles for youth in
underserved areas. Five dollars out of every $15 he collects from riders and
supporters for Go Bike t-shirts will be donated to the organization.
Besides spreading the good news about cycling, Go Bike is just a fun event,
Aay said: "Once we get downtown, we're really going to stop and look and
enjoy."
For more information on Go Green, Go Dutch, Go Bike, contact Henk Aay at
616-526-7033 or at aay@calvin.edu
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Received on Tue Sep 20 08:46:31 2011