[Update Monday 6/13 12:15 PM: The weather forecast for Tuesday has gotten somewhat worse and has prompted me to postpone our Poky Pedaling Potluck Picnic until Thursday June 16 at 5:30 PM, still meeting in Goerke Park. I have updated this post to reflect this change. A more full explanation of why I’ve postponed can be found here.]

Another Poky Pedaling Potluck Picnic is just days away. So it’s time to get ready for culinary-themed Bike Fun set in a lovely park location.

Our Poky Pedaling Potluck Picnic will meet on Thursday June 16 at 5:30 PM in Goerke Park near the entrance to the municipal swimming pool. Those who have enjoyed these Poky Pedals in past years should note that our meeting time is 15 minutes later than in the past. And those new to Poky Pedaling Potluck Picnics can rest assured that we won’t actually start our ride until 5:45 PM.

The Poky Pedaling Potluck Picnic is free of charge, and all Poky Pedalers are welcome. If riding slowly and sharing Bike Fun sounds like a great way to spend some time, then you are a Poky Pedaler.

A scenic view of the Wisconsin River was a highlight of this Poky Pedaling Potluck Picnic in Bukolt Park from 2015

The concept behind Poky Pedaling Potluck Picnics is pretty simple. Each Poky Pedaler brings a picnic contribution to our starting location in Goerke Park. From there, we ride between 3 and 5 miles to a mystery park location, carrying all the picnic goodies on our bikes. We ride slowly – at the pace of the slowest Poky Pedaler – in one contiguous group, staying on calm streets and non-motorized paths the whole way.

At our mystery park destination, we’ll spread all the picnic contributions out and share a marvelous potluck feast. Once we’ve finished our banquet, we pack everything up and ride back to Goerke Park. We should be back well before dark, probably around 7:30 PM.

This will be the 16th Poky Pedaling Potluck Picnic with PPSP. If you’ve never been on one and wonder how they work, trust me when I say that they simply work. Don’t sweat the details – that’s my job as Chief Bike Fun Officer and I’ve got everything covered. Simply get you and your bike and your picnic contribution to Goerke Park and the rest will take care of itself.

Poky Pedaling Potluck Picnics typically have a wide variety of picnic contributions to satisfy all Poky Pedalers

Not sure what picnic contribution to bring? Some people make fancy salads or desserts, others bring a bag of chips or a container of carrots. Whatever food or beverage you bring (no alcohol, please) will be appreciated all the same.

Not sure how to carry your picnic contribution on your bike? Our group always has plenty of extra space in our various racks, baskets, and trailers, so we’ll figure something out. In a pinch, you can always hang a plastic bag on your handlebars and carry your picnic contribution in that.

What about utensils, plates, and cups? I bring enough of all that for everyone, but Poky Pedalers are always encouraged to bring their own.

Will there be enough to eat? It’s a potluck, so there are no guarantees. That being said, we always get an excellent variety of goodies in amounts ample for our feast. I always bring a huge batch of my Poky Pedaling Potluck Picnic Palate Pleasin’ Potatoes (see the recipe here), about which I’ve gotten many compliments. By the way, this is a vegan dish – no meat or dairy – so that there are no concerns about spoilage over our short ride. This might be a good thing to keep in mind when choosing your picnic contribution.

Most Poky Pedalers on this 2014 Poky Pedaling Potluck Picnic had never been to Parkwood Park, but we shared a ton of Bike Fun all the same

Where is the mystery park destination? Well, that’s a secret. Otherwise it wouldn’t be a mystery. You’ll find out where it is when we get there. Each Poky Pedaling Potluck Picnic has a different park destination, it is always a lovely setting, and more often than not, it is a spot most Poky Pedalers have never spent any time at. The mystery is simply part of the Bike Fun, trust me on this.

Got more questions? You can look at this webpage to learn a bit more about Poky Pedaling Potluck Picnics, including more suggestions for picnic contributions. And the Are Poky Pedals Family Friendly? webpage gives more information about what to expect on any Poky Pedal. If you still need answers, simply contact me through the form at the bottom of this post and I’ll get back to you promptly.

Like I said, don’t sweat the details. Just show up and you’ll be sharing Bike Fun before you know it.

As for the weather forecast, Thursday late afternoon is looking very good. Temperatures should be in the low-to-mid 70’s with some clouds, perhaps a bit of sun, and light winds. There is essentially no chance for rain on Thursday afternoon and evening. If there are major changes to the weather forecast for Thursday, I’ll update this post with more info.

Although we’ve shared Bike Fun on multiple Poky Pedaling Potluck Picnics during previous years, this is the only one on the 2016 Bike Fun Calendar. So if you can’t fathom a year without a Poky Pedaling Potluck Picnic, then you have to join us on this one. I look forward to sharing Bike Fun with all Poky Pedalers on Tuesday.

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