FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KFSM) - Sunday (May 1) marked the start of Bicycle Month and Northwest Arkansas has planned to use the month to celebrate its standing as one of the top cities for cycling in the United States.
Lioneld Jordan, mayor of Fayetteville, said over 200,000 people are bicycling around the city every year, which he said is equivalent to larger cities such as San Francisco.
More people have been getting on bikes to stay healthy, according to Issac Tweeddale, manager of Phat Tire Bike Shop in Fort Smith, which he said has also extended into the River Valley.
"More people are really getting into it. It seems like a lot more lately," said Tweeddale, "They're building a lot more trails in the area, you know adding on miles to Ben Geren."
The League of American Bicyclists, the group which has hosted National Bike Month since 1956, said the next few weeks will give people a chance to learn about the benefits of bicycling and to encourage more people to give it a try.