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Whether you’re bicycling for family time, exercise or simply to take in the local scenery, Hilton Head Island offers no shortage of routes, paths and options.
The island boasts more than 50 miles of public bicycle paths, and the private communities contain many more (Sea Pines alone has 15 for your pedaling needs). The beach is rarely more than a few miles away, and at low tide offers so much space that you can feel like the place is yours alone. For these reasons and countless more (amenable weather, abundant sunshine) you can see why Hilton Head Island has carved out a reputation as an unofficial bikers’ mecca.
But these days, it’s a little more official.
This April, Hilton Head was awarded a silver-level designation as a “Bicycle Friendly Community” by the League of American Bicyclists — an honor that had been heavily sought by town officials and local biking groups. The president of the League of American Bicyclists is coming to Hilton Head Island to formally announce the award on Aug. 2.
The bike paths have become such a draw for Hilton Head Island that the Chamber of Commerce estimates that one million people come here to bike annually.
“Biking is a big part of the Hilton Head experience for visitors,” said Charlie Clark, spokeswoman for the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce. “We’re fortunate to have a town that’s committed to providing miles of pathways for both visitors and residents.”
More Monthly: Five great off-the-beaten-path bike trips
But the road to those pathways hasn’t always been smooth. The first island bike paths were built in Sea Pines and Palmetto Dunes in the 1960s, and as the island grew over the next 40 years, more were regularly added — in keeping with the town’s commitment to remaining eco-friendly. Still, as time marched on, maintenance of those public paths was overlooked, and some of the trails fell into relative disrepair.
Enter Frank Babel.
“The biking attitude here is about freedom and exploring,” said Babel, an avid rider and one of the island’s foremost advocates for bicycling safety and awareness.
Babel moved to Sea Pines permanently in 1999, and quickly found himself frustrated by the lack of connectivity on the public paths and the damage caused by debris and tree roots. “I also realized there were no bike maps, except for mimeographed ones that you could hardly read,” he said.
Duly motivated, Babel helped the town draw up new maps — ones that covered pathways, roads and beaches — and pressed hard for additional changes. “I really felt I could make a difference,” he said. “I really care about this place and I really care about biking.”
Babel says the town really came through, increasing the bike path maintenance budget, building more connecting paths over the past decade or so and putting an increased focus on safety issues. The town has also built kiosks on island bike paths to provide maps and locals’ information for bicyclists.
“The town has really stepped up and connected the dots,” said Babel. “The engineers did a dynamite job with the paths.”
But Babel didn’t stop there. He formed an advocacy organization called Squeaky Wheels, which pursues improvemenst in bike safety and awareness on the island. He’s taken his quest to the state level, having been elected one of four Lowcountry representatives on the board of directors of the Palmetto Cycling Coalition. He’s instrumental in helping to organize the annual Pedal 4 Kids ride, a recreational event staged in conjunction with the Boys and Girls Club, that has raised more than $140,000 in donations over the past four years — and will return Sept. 24 of this year for a fifth. But his vision of Hilton Head as a bicyclist’s haven continues to evolve.
“Whether you’re young or old, you can ride a bike,” he says. “If you’re in a car you’ll miss so much of this spectacular jewel of an island.”
In recent years, the Lowcountry has also seen a tremendous increase in its number of bike organizations, such as the Kickin’ Asphalt Bicycle Club (www.kickinasphalt.info), a highly active nonprofit touring club founded and headed by Ron Knight that you’ve probably noticed on their weekend drives around the Lowcountry.
“When my wife and I moved here from Ohio we searched for a biking club,” he said. “We finally formed our own in 2006.”
These days the club boasts more than 100 members and is affiliated with the Palmetto Cycling Coalition of South Carolina and the League of American Bicyclists, which in 2008 named it one of the best biking clubs in the country. (You can see many of the club’s rides and events by searching for “Kickin’ Asphalt” on YouTube.)
The group rides every Saturday morning at different locations throughout Hilton Head, Bluffton and Beaufort. Each ride is coordinated by a “ride leader,” who plans the weekly route of 35-40 miles at about 15-18 mph. (The group also offers more recreational divisions for more leisurely riders.) For more descriptions about the club’s rides and skill levels, go to www.kickinasphalt.info.
