Hike, bike and skip the paddle: Louisville tradition rolls on despite rising river levels
A Memorial Day tradition kicked off once again Monday morning when the mayor's Hike, Bike and Paddle rolled out from the Great Lawn.
It was the 22nd year of the event, which celebrates the unofficial start of summer with a hike and bike ride around the waterfront.
The paddle portion of the event was canceled due to rising water and potentially hazardous conditions along the Ohio River, but that didn't stop some long-timers from coming out and having a great time.
"Just a little speed racing tournament, summer just beginning, school's out everyone out here having fun, we got vendors everything," said Donevon Heyman, who took part in the event.
During the event, the Brain Injury Alliance of Kentucky (BIAK) helped highlight the importance of preventing traumatic brain injuries, focusing on the use of properly fitting helmets by distributing 300 free helmets to those in attendance.
"Prevention is a big part of our mission statement, and we found that anyone biking should wear a properly fitting helmet," said Bobby Paisley of the BIAK. "It needs to fit the head properly, it needs to be snug enough that if you do have an accident, it's not going to shift or fall."
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, helmet use among bike riders aged 4 to 15 could save as many as 150 lives annually. Paisley shared his firsthand experience with the effectiveness of helmets.
"I've actually seen children that have had an accident, the helmet will actually crack, but the head is ok," Paisley said.
The CDC also reports that wearing a helmet can reduce the risk of traumatic brain injury by up to 85%.
An estimated 5,000 people took part in this year's event.
