More than 1300 cyclists are expected to hit the streets Saturday between 8:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. for the annual Tour de Nash.
For participant David Crumpton, riding his bike is the most fun way to get from point A to B.
"The essence of feeling like a kid again is one of the first things," he explained.
He hits bike paths often.
"Daily is ideal," he said, "(but) at least a few days a week."
He's gearing up to ride in another Tour de Nash this weekend.
Riders will stick to greenways and bike paths as they pass through 45 neighborhoods and the downtown area. Small businesses will sponsor rest stops around every 5 miles on the 45-mile route that spans Germantown, East Nashville, 12 South, Belmont, Sylvan Park, West Nashville and North Nashville.
"We encourage people to take it easy, enjoy the sites. We've got points of interest along the way," said Tour de Nash organizer Dave Thienel, who works with Walk Bike Nashville.
Most riders won't be crunching times. It's considered more of a tour.
"It introduced me to areas of town I wouldn't normally ride and now I ride those areas a lot more often," Crumpton said.
And the Tour has shorter, easier options to attract all ages and levels.
"(There is) a free family ride that's really accessible to families and kids. It's fairly flat and mostly on greenways," Thienel said, "and we've got a 25-mile and 45-mile."
Roads will remain open throughout the city, but expect slow downs with security directing traffic around the cyclists at major intersections. That way everyone is safe during the ride.
"With Tour de Nash you're with such a large group of people, it's safety in numbers," Crumpton said.
Organizers hoped in the future people are even more open to trading their car keys for a helmet. At least sometimes.
"We show people how easy it is to get around town on a bike," Thienel said.
The start and finish line are at Morgan Park in Germantown where the Capitol Street Festival will run all day long.
You can sign up for the Tour de Nash here.
