Written by Mindy Welland

Photography by Mindy Welland

t’s a Wednesday evening; the streets of Springfield buzz with excitement and joy. Bright lights, loud gear changes, muddy tires, and sweat dripping from person to person. A crowd of bicycle riders gather at their mid-ride stop to chat, get some local beverages, and plan a ride for the weekend. Some come with a sleek new set-up, and others with their mom’s old hand-me-down bike with gears from the 1970s. These riders set out on their weekly sunset ride that started out as a group of 12, and grew to over 100 riders in just a few short months.

This is Bigfoot Social, Springfield’s community bike ride. This isn’t just a bike ride, but rather a celebration of community and friendships. It’s a place to come and be yourself, without fear of judgment. Fostering connections through all riders, and sharing one common goal: To have fun.

The face behind it all is Grant Hutchison, a Springfield resident. He was inspired to form this group to be able to “ride bikes and hangout with my friends.” Bigfoot Social was created in June, with just a simple Instagram post detailing when and where to meet up, the route detailed on Strava — an app to track personal fitness and connect with others across the platform — and what to expect. 

The first ride had 12 riders, and even this was more of a turn out than Hutchison expected.“We were very surprised even with having 12 people the first week, so when it doubled to 24 the next week I was blown away,” he said. “Never imagined it would get to the point it’s at now.”

The rides start and end at Fassnight Park, and each ride features a mid-ride stop. Sometimes these stops are at local or historical Springfield parks, a gas station, or more frequently, local breweries and dessert shops. Having mid-ride stops at local businesses allows for them to receive positive exposure, a necessary ingredient for them to remain open and thrive in the heart of Springfield. Not only are riders buying a drink during the ride, but they post about each business across different social media platforms. 

“I’d like to think it’s positively impacting the community by supporting local businesses and also just the aspect of socialization,” Hutchison said. “Hundreds of people all met new people and made new friends that they likely wouldn’t have met otherwise.”

As a fellow bike rider, Bigfoot Social has allowed me to foster endless friendships and shown me that Springfield can really be a home. The community aspect is something that is evident from the second you take off on each ride because every person you meet is as exciting as the next. From joining the third ride back in June when it was still around 30 riders, to riding in October with numbers reaching over 130 members, a sense of positivity is created amidst feelings of community being far and unreachable. Bigfoot is a reminder that communities like these exist.

The last ride of the fall season was a Halloween ride, with a free cookout meal and a costume contest. The rides will continue in the spring when the weather warms up, and Hutchison is excited to lead them again. 

With ideas in mind and hopes for the same big numbers as the fall, Hutchison said his favorite part of it all is “getting a lot of people into riding bikes that hadn’t before, and also just getting to socialize and meet so many new people.” 

He also thanks every individual who has joined a Bigfoot ride, saying the people are what make the community great.

Community love and support is truly what drives Bigfoot Social and its riders. Communities that can form from one connection, sparking to over 130 people, is what makes Bigfood so unique. There isn’t a list of requirements to join, there’s not a time or pace you have to achieve, and you don’t need the sleekest bike nor the brightest lights to join — just come as you are. 

Show up for your community. Show up for the person who will pass you on the left and for the person who’s highlight of the week is this bike ride. Show up for your city. But most importantly, show up for yourself.