After removing his helmet and packing away his water bottle, University of New Hampshire professor Vince Connolly recalled his experiences of riding his bike down an empty Storrow Drive.
“It was surreal,” Connolly said. “I felt like I was floating – like I was going way too fast down Storrow, even for a car.”
Connolly and a collection of cyclists from around the area pedaled the Hub on Wheels Bike Tour yesterday to benefit Boston Public Schools and as get some fresh air and exercise on the first day of fall.
Cyclists, ranging from 12 years old to senior citizens, made their way around 25-mile and 45-mile courses that wound around City Hall Plaza through surrounding neighborhoods and back.
Since the event was not classified as a race but a “tour of Boston,” the bikes, themselves, were as diverse as the riders. Cutting-edge performance road bikes and experienced riders crossed the finish line alongside joy riders, their rugged mountain bikes and even at least one tandem bike.
The ride was a benefit for Technology Goes Home, a program between the Boston Public School system and the Boston Digital Bridge Foundation.
“It brings parents and children together in the classroom,” said TGH program director Jackie Collins, adding the program – which asks parents to commit to 25 hours of technology training that is led by their children’s teachers – works to strengthen the bonds between students, parents and teachers.
“At the end [of training] parents have the opportunity to purchase a refurbished computer and printer for 100 dollars,” she continued. “This is a great way to raise funds, but today is really all about getting people out and having fun.”
Sunday’s event also garnered further attention to alternative transportation methods. Last week, Mayor Thomas Menino announced he will work to improve the city for cyclists, who bemoan the lack of bike lanes, trails and safety on the roads.
Sam Pollock, the owner of a Weymouth bicycle shop, pointed to a disjointed set of bike trails in Boston and their need for improvement.
“There are lots of trails, but none of them connect,” Pollock said. “It’s tough to get around, but it is getting better.”
Pollock said though this was his first time attending the event, he enjoyed the 25-mile trek, especially after moving away from Boston four years ago.
“I do miss cruising around the city,” he said. “A lot of the places I passed today made me miss it.”
While many similar events require a minimum fundraising donation to participate, Hub on Wheels requires a flat $40 registration fee, while additional fundraising is optional.
“Not a lot of people want the commitment,” Connolly said. “If you are requiring into the thousands of dollars like [the] Pan-Mass [Challenge], you are only going to get the dedicated people. With [Hub on Wheels], you get . . . the casual participants.”
“I came to ride and to contribute some funds,” said Eliott Bursack, an alum of the Boston University College of Liberal Arts, now the College of Arts and Sciences. “The crowd, the music — it’s very exciting.”