Considering the very prestigious Tour de France commences tomorrow, July 4, we thought we’d help kick start your holiday weekend with a few fun facts about bike racing!

1. Since 1975 the Tour de France finish has been on the Champs-Élysées in Paris. Before 1975, the race finished at the Parc des Princes stadium in western Paris and at the Piste Municipale. (Wikipedia)

2. Cycling was a part of the first modern Olympic Games that took place in Athens, Greece, in 1896. (Olympic.org)

3. In 1984, Bell became the official supplier to the US Cycling Team. (Bells Sports)

4. This weekend Lance Armstrong returns from a three-year retirement from the event to come back and compete in the 2009 Tour de France. (Sports Illustrated)

5. The world’s longest bike race is called Race Across America (RAAM) and covers 3,000 miles. (thelongestlistofthelongeststuffatthelongestdomainnameatlonglast.com)

And, as if you could forget, tomorrow is also Independence Day in the U.S.A! Have some interesting plans for the 4th that you’d like to share? Send us a shout out! We always like to keep up with what our community is up to!

Wishing a fun and safe holiday weekend to you and yours!!

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” These infamous words are encrypted on the Declaration of Independence, which was signed on July 4, 1776. To some, these words represent their freedom and to many they also stand for opportunity, but to pretty much all – the 4th of July implies laughter, a time of celebration with loved ones and fireworks!

So what are your plans for this year’s 4th of July holiday? Perhaps you’re busy getting ready for a big family vacation? Or maybe you’re having a staycation and planning to do something in your own hood? Whatever your plans may be, there’s never a shortage of fun activities for families on the 4th.

If you’re going camping or sticking around the backyard, why not host a 4th of July Barbecue? You could spice up your day outdoors by setting up a bicycle scavenger hunt.

Or how about putting a different spin on watching fireworks, by doing it from the comfort of your bike seat? In cities across America, organizations such as the Seminole Heights Bicycle Club are teaming up with Bikecommuters.com to plan 4th of July night rides. Now that’s what we call some explosive riding!

Whether you plan to rock out to Born in the U.S.A. while driving to your favorite lake or you’ll be celebrating your first year of officially living in America at home, we hope you have a fun and safe holiday! After all, this land was made for you and me!

And don’t forget to share your plans – we’re all looking for new ideas for our own holiday cyclebrations!