Last night, June 6, 2019, Evans members rode bikes with RiDetroit. We actually kicked off the season for them! Jason Hall, founder of RiDetroit, took us on a guided tour around the city of Detroit.
We biked for 2 hours and covered about 9 miles of the city. We saw a lot of cool places – even ones we didn’t know existed – like the Dequindre Cut. The Dequindre Cut was formally a Grand Trunk Railroad line and is now a 2.5-mile urban recreational path that runs parallel to St. Aubin Street, between Mack Avenue and Atwater Street, just north of the riverfront. We rode the Dequindre Cut from Eastern Market to the Riverfront.
While at Eastern Market, Jason was extremely enthusiastic about the “Murals in the Market.” And after seeing them ourselves, we understood why. Each mural is unique and beautiful in their own way – especially when you hear about their history. They definitely enhance the Eastern Market experience.
We rode along the Detroit Riverfront from the Dequindre Cut to Joe Louis Arena. It was a gorgeous night to be riding next to the water!
We journeyed through Corktown. Corktown is a historic district. It is the oldest existing neighborhood in the city.
We rode past Ponyride, which is a nonprofit within a 30,000 square foot building. It facilitates growth of social missions within artists, makers, nonprofits, and entrepreneurs. Fun fact: Floyd started its business in Ponyride in 2014!
We saw the Ransom Gillis House in Brush Park. This mansion was built in the 1870s and is considered a Detroit landmark. The house was built for $12,000 – the equivalent of $1.8 million today. It is 4,800 square feet. It was unoccupied from the mid-1960s. Since 2001, the property was owned by the City of Detroit. Renovation attempts were made but were stalled until HGTV and Rehab Addict took over in 2015. Nicole Curtis, host of Rehab Addicts, kept the integrity of the original design and was able to use most of the brick structure.
On our way back, we stopped in front of Comerica Park to get one last picture of the Evans group.
We all had a fantastic time with RiDetroit – especially those who got to ride the eBikes! Jason was great and very knowledgeable about the City and all its elements. He showed us a lot of interesting sites and we were able to see just how much Detroit has changed over the years. It was a perfect night for biking, learning, bonding, and laughing!
