The Chain Gang Cycling Group was riding from Kalamazoo to Plainwell on June 7, 2016 when an intoxicated driver struck them, killing five cyclists and injuring four others. A commemorative bike ride will retrace the victims’ planned route on Tuesday.
The week after the deadly crash, community members set out to “Finish the Ride,” following the route the victims never got to complete.
In its tenth year, the ride will be open to the public.
“This was kind of a favorite route of the Chain Gang," said Paul Runnels, a Chain Gang member who survived the 2016 crash, "because some of the members, particularly Tony Nelson and Larry Paulik, who were killed, liked to ride up to Plainwell with the Chain Gang, stop for ice cream.”
The event will begin at 5:15 pm Tuesday with a ride from the Beacon Health Center to the site of the memorial. After an address, the group will embark on a 28-mile ride to Plainwell, retracing the route taken by the cyclists in 2016 and completing the segment that they didn’t have the chance to.
“We want to acknowledge the families of the victims," Runnels said. "We want to acknowledge all the folks who helped us during and after the crash to recover both physically and emotionally.”
