Donated Bicycles Give Visitors a Warm Welcome

The Dyersville Area Community Foundation’s (DACF) mission is to connect donors with philanthropic causes they love. For one donor, sharing a passion for bicycling was that cause.

“We had an anonymous donor that was a bike enthusiast and really wanted to spread the cycling experience throughout the community,” said Karla Thompson, DACF board member. “The donor purchased four bikes and four helmets for people to use for free — residents, tourists, anybody who wants to use them.”

The bikes are conveniently located at Comfort Inn in Dyersville, where they are easy to access. “They’ve been very well-received,” said Terry Drees, general manager at the hotel. “Our guests take the bikes out in town, and they are very surprised when we tell them, ‘They’re there for you, and they’re free of charge.’”

The Dyersville City Council is working to gradually add more miles to the paved bicycle trail in Dyersville. The city also serves as a trailhead for Heritage Trail, a 26-mile limestone path from Dyersville to Dubuque. “The bikes provide a great opportunity for residents tourists alike to explore the community,” said Thompson. “Experienced bikers can ride Heritage Trail.”

Since arriving at Comfort Inn mid-summer, many hotel guests have enjoyed the bikes. One family used them to attend the community’s Fourth of July fireworks. “They rode up, got rock star parking and had a great view of the fireworks,” said Thompson.

A regular hotel guest who used to pack his own bike on his trips to Dyersville now conveniently rides the trail system using the free bikes, Thompson added.

Though the winter weather makes biking season seem far off, the community of Dyersville will be even more welcoming and accessible to both visitors and residents when temperatures rise thanks to DACF’s anonymous donor.