MONTGOMERY, Ohio -- Would you make a 750-mile bike trip to a small village in the state of New York? Not many would, but Montgomery City Council Member Mike Cappel is departing Wednesday morning to do just that.
Cappel said it's more than a 10-day vacation. He said six families traveled from New York to southwest Ohio in 1795, and this trip will show what those first Montgomery settlers experienced and encourage exercise in the community.
"One of my goals with this ride is to make sure that people are aware of the program and that they can stay in motion as well," Cappel said. "I think if I can ride my bike 750 miles, it's pretty reasonable to ask people to take a ride to the grocery store, church, the park, and just remember the fun they had when they were little kids riding their bikes."
Cappel hopes to draw attention to three local programs: the WeThrive Initiative, the Environmental Advisory Commission and the Sister Cities Commission.
The WeThrive Initiative is a countywide program to make healthy living easier. Montgomery is committed to supporting the initiative and focusing on preventing chronic diseases and emergency preparedness.
Another key program in Montgomery is the Montgomery Environmental Advisory Commission. This commission works to develop practical ways in which residents, the City and its commissions can responsibly use resources in an environmentally-conscious way. Cappel supports the feasibility of biking to reduce carbon emissions and reliance on fossil fuels.
Finally, Cappel and his wife Anne have been major supporters of the Sister Cities Commission and its programs, including Bastille Day and exchanges with the City’s French Sister City, Neuilly-Plaisance, as well as furthering the rapport with domestic sister city, Montgomery, New York.
Cappel expects to arrive in Montgomery, New York, on Sept. 7. Follow his trip to the village of Montgomery, New York, on Montgomery's Facebook page here and its website here.
