DANVILLE, Ky. (LEX 18) — The last day of school is more synonymous with the final bell ringing or slamming lockers as kids get ready to start their summer vacation.
However, for Toliver Elementary students the sounds of bike spokes are what get them excited for the end of the school year.
It’s become a tradition for many kids and their parents to helmet up and hit the road on bikes to head to school.
“I know that the first year that I rode, my daughter was a fourth grader and wasn’t biking by herself so we had her in a tag along attachment on the back and we rode her along that way so it’s probably been 3-4 years,” Kate Snyder said.
“About four years I believe,” Scott Walker said.
“I know we’ve been with the run three times, late one time trying to rush as fast as we could to catch up.”
What started as a parent trying to give kids something fun to look forward to has turned into an end of May routine for riders young and old.
“My kids look forward to it every year. They’re talking about it on the first day of school how they can’t wait until the last day of school so they can ride their bikes to school,” Walker said.
The end of the year ride has become so well known that Danville Police offer an escort to ensure a safe ride to Tolliver.
Cars on their daily commute stopped by the sounds of sirens and the sights of a lot of little legs pedaling away.
All the kids (and parents) greeted as they pull into the Tolliver Elementary parking lot, smiles on their faces as they rack up their bikes.
“I just don’t think you find this in other communities and I just love the comradery of it. The kids are just so excited and I love how many parents ride along too,” Synder said.
These rides actually started with a different end location in mind.
The tradition started when Jennie Rodgers Elementary was still standing.
Even though the school closed its doors for good in 2021, the bond through biking hasn’t waivered, perhaps growing stronger as it moved from one school to another.
“Even though the schools change, Danville and its families are adaptable so when there’s a good idea we’re going to take it even if the situation changes,” Snyder said.
