Online Registration is now closed. Please register onsite .
The purpose of this ride is for the Cincinnati Cycling Community to show its support for Frank Henson. As many people know, Frank and his wife have been traveling throughout Mexico, Central America, and South America for the past 6 years. Frank publicly announced that recently doctors had found cancerous lesions on his liver and pancreas. They are awaiting test results which will determine the next steps. He has paused his trip and is receiving medical treatment in Buenos Aires Argentina.
As most people know, Frank is a beloved fixture in the Cincinnati Cycling Community, and beyond. He was the past president of Queen City Bike, where he promoted cycling in our region and successfully advocated for bike infrastructure in the city, including the addition of the bike lanes that cyclists enjoy today. He was part of the team that brought Red Bike to the city. He was the glue that connected all the bike organizations, clubs, and cycling-friendly businesses in the city. And he was the face of Christmas, best known as Bicycle Santa.
Frank has stated that he is accepting messages of support as he goes through this challenge but will not be responding as he needs to focus his energy on his medical procedures. As we are approaching the holidays, I can’t think of a better way to honor Frank and show our support than by coming together as a community and having a Santa Ride. Working with Queen City Bike, we will be leveraging their Annual Holiday Bright Ride to add elements to the Santa Ride, to serve a dual purpose, 1) honoring Frank and Bicycle Santa, and 2) supporting QCB’s annual Bright Ride tradition. We will not only honor Frank but also carry on his spirit of providing toys for needy children.
Below are the details of the ride. This is a working document. Please check it often and feel free to add comments.
If anyone has any questions, I can be contacted at 513-706-1045 or sfratianne@gmail.com
Event Name: Santa Ride, honoring Frank Henson (aka Bicycle Santa)
Date: Saturday, December 14th, 3PM (Rain or Shine) Note: SantaCon will be going on this same day, so the city will have a very festive atmosphere
Timeline: 3:00PM - Doors open, people to register and donate their toys
4:00PM - Start organizing the start
4:15PM - Welcome, comments about Frank, pre-ride safety talk
4:30PM - Wheels rolling
6:00PM - 6:30PM Finish at Wooden Cask - Social time.
Charity Supported: Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.
Start and Finish Location: Wooden Cask Brewery Company, 629 York St., Newport, KY.
Participant Requests: All participants are requested to wear Santa Suits, Red Clothing, Ugly Sweaters, or some other holiday-festive attire. As this is also the Bright Ride, and part of the ride will take place in darkness, decorating bikes with lights and other decorations is highly encouraged.. All participants are asked to bring a new or lightly used toy which will be donated to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. Here are the guidelines from Children’s Hospital on the types of toys they will accept and what they will reject: https://www.cincinnatichildrens.org/giving/gifts/items/toys
Ride Format: This ride is appropriate for any type of cyclist. The ride will be parade-style, where we ride at a casual rate (less than 10MPH) through the city as a group. There will be no break-away groups or speed groups. We will ride a mix of bike lanes and bike-friendly routes in the city. Videos and pictures will be taken throughout the ride. We will stop at some of Frank’s favorite locations and take group pictures. A montage of pictures and videos will be sent to Frank after the ride.
Ride Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/49096239
Group Photo Stops (may modify based on group size):
-
Flat Santa
-
Findlay Market
-
Washington Park
-
Fountain Square
-
Smale Riverfront Park, west of Roebling Bridge, with the bridge as the backdrop
Proclamation of Bicycle Day: The city of Cincinnati will be proclaiming the day official Bicycle Santa Day. The proclamation will take place at Flat Santa at approximately 4:45PM.