The Slow Roll Takes A New Path on Mackinac Island

The crowd was smaller, but the sense is that the event is still building.

Jake Neher/WDET

The Slow Roll bike ride has left Detroit for the first time since it began six years ago. Organizers brought the event to Mackinac Island on Wednesday for the Mackinac Policy Conference.

WDET’s Jake Neher caught up with some of the people riding in the event before it got underway. Founder Jason Hall kicked it off by firing-up the crowd of a few dozen bike riders as they prepared to ride on a cold and rainy morning.

“Hopefully you can taste this little bit of it… with a few people. And then you can come to Detroit and ride with five-to-six thousand people,” Hall told the crowd.

Participants said the event fits perfectly with the policy conference.

“I think people are excited about what’s going on in the region, what’s going on in the city, want to participate,” said Peter Fezzey of Metro Detroit, who is at the conference with Michigan.com. “Either they have done Slow Roll or heard about it and are excited in doing this and bringing a little bit of the city up here.” 

Author

  • Jake Neher
    Jake Neher is senior producer for Detroit Today and host of MichMash for 101.9 WDET. He previously reported on the Michigan Legislature for the Michigan Public Radio Network.