100 days of biking
A cyclist organizes a celebration of all the bike trails, rides, events and people in the area.
Since he was 5 or 6 years old, Peter Maillefer has counted bicycling among his favorite hobbies.
But it wasn’t until the 23-year-old moved to Milwaukee a few years ago that he found a community of fellow cyclists, and the hobby became virtually a lifestyle.
“My parents kind of raised my whole family on biking,” Maillefer said, describing it as a way to combine recreation with time together. “I wasn’t part of the bike scene, but it’s something I’ve become part of.”
Now, Maillefer wants to share that with everyone, experienced biker or not. How? Through a project he calls “100 Days of Biking” — a celebration of all the trails, rides, events and people that make biking in Milwaukee special, Maillefer said.
Finding his passion was a bit of a journey in itself. Maillefer grew up in Cottage Grove, but decided to head to the East Coast to study at Gordon College, a non-denominational Christian school in a town of fewer than 5,000 people in Massachussetts.
Before his first year of college was over, Maillefer found himself missing the Midwest in general, and an urban setting in particular. He found a home in Milwaukee, specifically the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
In the process, he discovered a tight-knit biking community.
While at UWM, he began stopping into the downtown Milwaukee bike shop Vulture Space. Cycling became his main mode of transportation, andhe promoted Bicycle Benefits, a program that gives cyclists special offers and discounts at local businesses. The idea is to encourage biking — and in the process expand the biking community.
Maillefer graduated with a degree in digital fabrication and design last year, and now he juggles working at Bicycle Benefits and delivering food as a — you guessed it — bike courier. Biking has become life.
“100 Days of Biking” officially kicked off June 2, and the goal, Maillefer said, is to provide at least one biking event every day.
“I kind of felt like there was already an event almost every day,” Maillefer said. “So I thought we could collaborate with these events and fill in the holes.”
Maillefer pulled together a calendar, created some events to make sure some open days were covered, and then put it all on a website, www.bike100days.com. Some days have multiple events; some are still empty — waiting for Maillefer to find or come up with something. He tries to plan rides for open days at least a month out.
The goal is not just mileage on the tires. It’s about building community, whether that’s through long rides on the streets and paths of Milwaukee or social gatherings over coffee, beer, ice cream, even Sundaymorning breakfast.
“The thing about the biking community in Milwaukee is that if you’re already in it, you’re already in it,” Maillefer said. “So the idea is to broaden it and to let the people who don’t already bike with us in Milwaukee know that it’s happening.”
Some events are well-known, such as the Underwear Bike Rides (there are four) and Bike Bingo. Others are relatively new, such as Biking Breakfasts every Sunday morning, started by Bicycle Benefits about a year ago.
“Going to that event for the first time — it’s kind of what got me inspired to keep creating these events,” Maillefer said.
Many rides draw on the expertise — or quirks — of cyclists. One tour went to local lighthouses; another was billed as a celebration of the letter “F.” Another trek rides through the alleyways of Milwaukee — an event Maillefer created because of his self-proclaimed status as an “alley cat.” Whether that’s an expertise or quirk, he’s not sure.
Some who attend are biking aficionados looking for speed or long distance; others are newcomers seeking a leisurely activity. Some events draw crowds; others only the most dedicated.
In the midst of a steady drizzle — and at times, a soaking downpour — on a recent Sunday morning, about 20 bikers crowded beneath the shelter of a bridge that crossed over the Oak Leaf Trail for breakfast. Maillefer had a special bike, tricked out with an oven top on the back, and was serving crepes and coffee.
His younger brother Luke said the Sunday-morning gatherings have steadily gained steam, and he wasn’t surprised by the turnout despite the weather.
“I didn’t tap into it (biking) until I moved here,” said the 20-year-old student at UWM. “And other people seem to be starting, too. Even last year, this event didn’t attract so many people, and it’s raining today, so I definitely think it’s gaining some momentum.”
Davis Mattingly, another 20-year-old UWM student, said he’s been making a habit of the Sunday breakfasts since they began.
“It’s always a great way to spend a Sunday morning,” Mattingly said, “because a lot of times instead of sleeping in on a Sunday morning or spending 20 or 30 bucks getting brunch or something, we can come eat with friends, get a bike ride in and hang out outside.”
The events don’t just draw 20-somethings. Lance Freischmidt, 51, of Milwaukee said he’s found a true community in the bikers who are attending the “100 Days of Biking” events.
“It’s kind of cool that we get all ages,” Freischmidt said. “It’s mostly people in their 20s, but I just like hanging out with other biking people.”