Photo by August Kryger / St. Joseph News-Press / Purchase this photo

Jack Romans bikes on the Southwest Parkway North section of the Urban Trail on Thursday. An avid biker, Romans has been a member of the St. Joseph Bicycle Club since 1997. He has logged over 43,000 miles on his bicycle since 2003. Romans said there are many benefits to cycling other than the obvious health benefit. "You can see a lot more of the country when you're going slower," he said. "And you can meet a lot of nice people too."

Spring is right around the corner, and Gary Schermerhorn knows already what he’ll do when it gets here.

The self-proclaimed “fair-weather” bicyclist and president of the St. Joseph Bicycle Club might make use of the Parkway, riding between Krug and Hyde parks. Or maybe he’ll head out of town, traveling eight or 10 or 12 miles to one of the surrounding communities. Wherever he goes, he’ll be reaping the benefit of his 20-year pastime: a workout that’s enjoyable rather than only work.

“It’s definitely exercise, and you can definitely put yourself into a lot of discomfort,” Mr. Schermerhorn says. “But there’s something about being outside right after the sun comes out, riding and joking with friends, that’s beautiful.”

The St. Joseph Bicycle Club meets numerous times throughout the week and offers rides for people at varying pace and ability levels. Bicyclists don’t have to be club members to come along for a ride, Mr. Schermerhorn says. For more information, go to www.stjoebikeclub.org.

Among the families who belong to the club are Bob and Cindy Neidinger, who ride a tandem bicycle and have been cycling for about 12 years throughout the Midwest. Mr. Neidinger says they’ve found St. Joseph to be one of the stronger cities when it comes to being conducive to cyclists, in large part due to the Parkway and the safety it offers. And for the most part, drivers here are very courteous, Mrs. Neidinger adds — with the exception of one or two they experience each year who throw an ice-cream cone or a drink.

“Only a couple bad incidents out of 4,000 or 5,000 miles each summer isn’t bad,” she notes. “But people should know there are laws that say we can be on the road, too.”

The Neidingers typically do three-hour, 32-mile trips each Saturday, and they say when gas prices were high last year, they noticed a number of others traveling by bicycle, as well. It’s definitely not the quickest way to make a trip, but for them, that’s kind of the point.

“It’s nice to slow down,” Mr. Neidinger says. “In a fast-paced world, this lets you see at slower speeds.”

For people just beginning to bike, Mr. Schermerhorn suggests giving these routes at try:

Explore the Parkway, which connects Krug, Hyde and Bartlett parks, and the trails surrounding it.

For mountain bikers, trails behind Corby Pond provide some off-road experience.

From Krug Park, take State Hwy. K to Amazonia, Mo. The trip there and back is about 10 miles, and the highway provides a nice shoulder. Other than a one-mile hill, the ride is fairly flat. For a trip that’s about 20 miles, go past Amazonia to Nodaway, Mo. If this still isn’t far enough, try making the trip to Savannah, Mo.

From Hyde Park, take King Hill Avenue/State Hwy. V south about three miles to the junction with State Hwy. JJ. For a longer, scenic ride, go another five miles on State Hwy. JJ to DeKalb cemetery. For an even longer ride, go another eight miles to DeKalb, Mo., for a round-trip total of 24 miles.

From the YMCA parking lot, ride to Fourth Street and take it to U.S. Hwy. 36 (The highway offers a wide shoulder, and you don’t stay on it for long, Mr. Schermerhorn says). Exit at Elwood, Kan., and — if you’ve worked up an appetite — take Airport Road to the Airport Cafe at Rosecrans Memorial Airport (about a 10-mile round trip). For a longer ride, go about three miles farther to Wathena, Kan.

Lifestyles reporter Erin Wisdom can be reached at ewisdom@npgco.com.