Cyclouvia is one of the better things that happen in Louisville in the summertime.
Ciclovia is a Spanish term that means "cycleway," either a permanent bike path or dedicating a path for non-motorized traffic, and it's a regular event in Bogota, Colombia dating back to the 1970s. Louisville advocates pushed for a similar thing to happen in Louisville in 2012.
Now, two or three times a year, a mile or two of a major urban stretch in Louisville -- sometimes Frankfort Ave, sometimes Bardstown/Baxter, sometimes Goss/Logan -- becomes car-free, usually on a Sunday afternoon. People bike the street of course, but usually you'll see a lot of walkers, skateboards, people doing yoga. And businesses generally step up by extending their presence to the sidewalks.
I knew from the early days that I'd love being able to bike the event, but what I really love is that it turns into a major social occasion, a citywide block party. We always see a lot of friends out and about, and we often have trouble staying on the bike for very long, since there's always someone to chat with or someplace to duck in. And the mayor loves it too. So yeah, just your basic block party, on bikes, and with the mayor. You just can't beat it. read more