“When the spirits are low, when the day appears dark, when work becomes monotonous, when hope hardly seems worth having, just mount a bicycle and go out for a spin down the road, without thought on anything but the ride you are taking.” – Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Springtime in Santa Clarita will always be my favorite season. After all of the rain we have received these past few months, the surrounding mountains have bloomed into beautiful rolling green hills, making it the perfect time to get outside and onto our trails. Each year in May, the city proudly celebrates Bike Safety Month with a slew of different opportunities for our residents to enjoy. With over 80 miles of trails and 20 miles of paseos, the options are endless.

A community favorite, and personally one of mine, is the annual Hit the Trail event. Scheduled for May 13 from 8 a.m. to noon, this free, self-guided community bike ride invites families and friends to hop onto a bike and explore their city while enjoying the outdoors.

Participants can choose to ride three different routes, each varying in length and all starting and ending at the same location. The Iron Horse Trailhead is the shortest route spanning 4 miles. The next step up is the George A. Caravalho Santa Clarita Sports Complex route which is 10 miles long and finally the Lost Canyon Trailhead route which is 15.5 miles long. From each location, riders can enjoy the path as they cycle to the trail near Bridgeport Park, where the first 100 riders to arrive will receive a goody bag.

Whether you are an avid rider or just a beginner, this event is perfect for anyone who wants to venture onto our trails and appreciate the unique opportunities the city has to offer. Historically, Santa Clarita has been recognized by the League of American Bicyclists as a bicycle-friendly community, and most recently ranked as “Silver-Level.” This award recognizes Santa Clarita’s commitment to improving conditions for bicyclists through investments in infrastructure, education programs and bike events, such as Hit the Trail.

In addition to this event, residents should be on the lookout for other programs and events taking place throughout the month of May. This includes the 19th Annual Bike to Work Challenge, which is a citywide challenge to see which business can get the most employees to bike to work; and we are introducing the brand-new summer Bike Challenge which will begin in June.

I encourage all of our residents to try to participate in one (or more) of these fun, free and heart-healthy events. Now is the time to dust off your bikes, pump up your tires and hit the trail! For more information on any of the Bike Safety Month events, please visit BikeSantaClarita.com and follow the city of Santa Clarita’s social media pages.

Ken Striplin is Santa Clarita’s City Manager and can be reached at kstriplin@santa-clarita.com.