Mason City’s cycling culture builds community, wellness and opportunity
In Mason City, cycling is more than a pastime – it’s a culture woven into everyday life. From scenic gravel roads and growing trail systems to school programs that introduce students to mountain biking at an early age, the community has embraced the activity as a way to connect people, promote wellness and create a sense of place. Local leaders, educators and cycling advocates say the impact goes far beyond recreation, helping to build friendships, foster belonging and show young people a future for themselves in the area.
“My ideal biking day is always with friends. I’m a very social cyclist. I love taking new people out, I love showing them Mason City’s trails. Working with the kids we have in our community or just going out and riding some of the gravel that we have around. We have an incredible bike park – it’s paved, it’s going to have some of the best jump lines in the United States. We have a culture throughout our entire community, including our school system, that has really gotten behind cycling.” -Matt Curtis, Owner, Wayne’s Ski & Cycle
“All of our students in the Mason City School Dist have a mountain bike that they use in P.E. beginning in Grade 5. So all of our students in fifth through eighth grade get specific skill instruction on how to safely ride a mountain bike, how to maneuver the trails – some of the basic skills so that they can safely access trails. Part of what I love about the biking curriculum is that it helps our kids to see a really good future for themselves here. We’re working on connecting them to jobs, but we also want to connect them to the community.” -Bridgette Exman Dunn, Assistant Superintendent, Mason City School District
“Cycling is something that brings people together. Not just your love of cycling alone, it’s also coffee, it’s beer, it’s friendships, it’s music, it’s seeing nature, it’s talking – it’s very inclusive. The cycling community is very supportive of everybody.” -Matt Curtis, Owner, Wayne’s Ski & Cycle
