Minister and Mayor Tomlinson gather bicyclists for 5-mile ride

The Rev. Prathan Powell found the best medicine for his high blood pressure by getting on a bicycle and riding on the roadway.

Taking that message to his congregation and the community, Powell joined Columbus Mayor Teresa Tomlinson and more than 100 riders Saturday to call attention to the benefits of cycling. The 5-mile ride started at Powell's World Changes Tabernacle on Alta Vista Drive, down Morris and Andrew roads to Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard before returning to the church.

"A lot of times in the African-American community we suffer with high blood pressure and diabetes," Powell said. "I became an active cyclist myself because of my experience in dealing with high blood pressure."

Powell said he and the mayor talked about getting a project together to promote cycling to improve health. "The most important thing I want the community to know is how important it is for better health," he said. "All the sickness we have as a whole, it can be resolved if you exercise. Cycling is a way to take extra pressure off your joints."

Tomlinson said cycling is about health, recreation and also transportation.

"We need to break this stigma in the community that those who ride bikes can't afford cars or those that ride bikes have lost their licenses," she said. "In fact, people choose to ride their bikes. It is a quality of life aspect of the community. We also want to show that you can ride your bike safely in the community and even more so when we get these bike lanes online."

The mayor said the city is already projecting itself as one of the leaders in the state for cycling.

"We are one of seven bike-friendly communities in the state of Georgia," she said.

Octavius Hall, a member of the church, hadn't ridden a bicycle for years, but he came out to support the event.

"I decided to be part of the environment," he said. "It's been quite awhile, but I'm sure it's going to be a nice experience."

Debra Sellers wouldn't call herself a bike rider either, but she tried on Saturday.

"This will be my first time riding the bike," she said. "I'm excited. I feel good about it. If people want to ride bikes to conserve energy and get back and forth to work, then they need to know that is a good thing."

The mayor supports many uses of the bicycle.

"Cycling is for every part of the community," she said. "Cycling should be a part of your life. Cycling should be an option for transportation, one that drivers respect, pedestrians respect and cyclists respect."

Ride on Bikes and the Bike Shop of Columbus allowed riders to rent bikes for free.

The Columbus Planning Department was the host of the bike ride. After the ride, a free cook-out was held on the church grounds with games, live music and activities for the children.

This story was originally published October 25, 2015 at 12:27 AM with the headline "Minister and Mayor Tomlinson gather bicyclists for 5-mile ride ."