DAVENPORT, Iowa — After a two-year hiatus, River Action's annual Ride the River event returned on June 19.
The 38-year tradition allows families to explore the area's riverfront bike trails on both sides of the Mississippi River. Bikers also got to cruise aboard the Celebration Belle riverboat, bike across the Arsenal Bridge and for the first time, ride across the new I-74 pedestrian pathway.
Around 200 bikers registered this year.
All the proceeds from the event go toward supporting River Action and its mission to protect and restore the Mississippi River.
"It's helped kind of bring awareness to the river, to the bike path. People love to walk along the Mississippi, ride their bikes. It's a great community advantage, and we really want to just keep that going and keep people out and supporting that," said program manager Brittany Thacker. "We're trying to really build up this area and make it into a river community."
River Action is also holding its 3rd annual Ride and Seek through June 30. There are 30 clues along the riverfront trails. This year's clues highlight prominent figures of the Quad Cities' past. Participants are invited to hunt for the clues and solve them. Those who submit the most correct answers will be entered into a prize raffle.
Clue puzzles can be answered on the clue sheet and sent back to River Action at 822 E. River Dr. in Davenport. All answers must be postmarked or dropped off at River Action no later than June 30.
Registration is also open for River Action's upcoming Floatzilla. The annual paddle event is on Aug. 20.