Hello Detroit: New Editor Rolls Into Town, Discovers the Motor City's Charm

DETROIT, MI—Greetings Detroit. Allow me to introduce myself: I’m the new Midwest Regional Editor for Patch.com, your outlet for local news on the Internet. An outsider to Detroit—and an avid cyclist—I came to town on Saturday to get a close look at your city and meet some local folks.

I found the perfect opportunity at the Tour de Troit, a bicycling excursion that attracted an estimated 7,000 bikers of all types—mountain bikers, road bikers, kids on little kid bikes, parents on old bikes they had in the back of their garages.

This ride has been on my bucket list for several years. This year, now as an editor with a professional connection to the Motor City, it seemed like an excellent time to do this urban ride. It’s not the kind I’m used to along rural roads where the architecture consist of barns and silos.

A couple weeks before the ride, I talked with Tour de Troit executive Vitoria Katanski, who promised the ride would give someone like me an excellent look at the city and its diverse neighborhoods. On Saturday, I was not disappointed. I saw, what seems, a good sampling of all parts of Detroit.

The majority of riders in the 16th annual event took a shorter route of 25 miles. I joined several hundred other riders who took the longer 62-mile route around town. While we did not see much of downtown Detroit, the route did take us through industrial neighborhoods, working-class residential neighborhoods, and a few swanky neighborhoods. Certainly, not everything was rosy. We rode through some neighborhoods with boarded-up homes and businesses, and there were a few streets a lot of streets with pot holes and crumbling asphalt. (It's the city. I get it.)

All of the neighborhoods, though, were vibrant with life. Drivers honked and hollered friendly greetings when we passed. Folks outside their homes waved and cheered when we rolled down their streets.

Along the ride, I talked with my cycling companions, many of whom were from Detroit and they offered me insight into the neighborhoods. Riders talked about the city’s problems—a lack of mass transit among the greater issues, and how the addition of bike lanes and biker-friendly neighborhoods have made urban cycling a welcome option for getting around the city.

I asked about the renaissance taking place in Detroit. Everyone was excited. This town, they agree, is on its way back.

Just as I could not tell you the names of all the neighborhoods I rode through on Saturday, I could not begin to detail for you all the issues of Detroit. I can, with great confidence, tell you that people in Detroit love their hometown. While they appreciate the good—and the bad— in the city’s history, they are very optimistic.

As I settle into my new role at Patch, I will be watching Detroit, and writing about the city, its neighborhoods and, most of all, its people. Feel free at any time to reach to me with story ideas and suggestions.

Meantime, Detroit, it's good to meet you.

All photos and videos by Jeff Stacklin