ML - Vegas Magazine

2012 - Issue 3 - April/May

Vegas Magazine - Niche Media - There is a place beyond the crowds, beyond the ropes, where dreams are realized and success is celebrated. You are invited.

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living the life ready for a ride? MAY IS NATIONAL BIKE MONTH, AND SUMMERLIN IS CYCLING CENTRAL. by susan stapleton E arly birds on the west side don't use having to get to work as an excuse for not getting fresh air and exercise: Every Wednesday morning, a group of 10 to 30 bike riders gets together at 6:15 am for a one-hour, 45-minute ride through Summerlin. The diverse group of cyclists gathers at NuVision Cyclery on Village Center Circle for a mod- erate ride at 15-to-17 mph with two breaks. Newbies, don't panic. "We're pretty open to bringing new people in and showing them the ropes," says NuVision owner Danny Kam, who leads the charge through Summerlin's hills. May is National Bike Month, which gives everyone a reason to hop on a bicycle. As the weather heats up, bikers hit the road, making Summerlin the sweet spot for rides ranging from easy to difficult. In part, that's thanks to the Summerlin Trail System, a 150-mile labyrinth that con- nects neighborhoods on land formerly owned by business magnate Howard Hughes. The trail system is so highly regarded that in 2008, the Howard Hughes Corporation received the American Trails Developer Award, given in recognition of "quality, well-designed, multi-use trails systems that are integrated into private developments." According to the National Association of Homebuilders, trails are the number-one com- munity amenity homeowners look for when buying a home. Lisa Caterbone, who runs BikingLasVegas.com, a website dedicated to bicycling in the Las Vegas area, began biking in 2007 when she wanted to lose weight—and ended up shedding 30 pounds. "I wanted to get fit and healthy," she says. "I needed to do something. I got on a bike and fell in love with it. You will always see someone riding in Summerlin. The scenery is so pretty." Riders in Sun City find little traffic in the early-morning hours, so they follow Villa Ridge Drive for an uninterrupted trip to the Bruce Woodbury Beltway on a route that runs parallel to Cheyenne Avenue. Near Red Rock Country Club, the route along Desert Foothills Drive hugs the low- slung mountain nearby. In the Vistas on Alta Drive past the beltway sits another prime spot for riding: Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area provides abundant trails plus a 14-mile loop for beginners. If you are new to cycling, Kam, who also teaches at the Cycling Studio, suggests taking part in a group ride that begins at McGhie's, Las Vegas Cyclery, or NuVision Cyclery. Then move up from there. "Each little seg- ment is three-to-five miles, then you can add on a segment," Kam says. Put together five segments, and riders have a good 15- to 25-mile loop. Caterbone rides two nights a week throughout The Lakes, Summerlin, and Sun City. One of her favorite rides climbs up Mesa Park, ascending 124 veGasMaGazine.CoM pHotoGRapHy by CHee-onn leonG/sHutteRstoCK.CoM

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