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Pedals & Pathways: Happy Hour Hustle, Tour de NH, Bike to Work Day + more | Manchester Ink Link

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Pedals & Pathways: Happy Hour Hustle, Tour de NH, Bike to Work Day + more | Manchester Ink Link



Navigating Manchester’s Urban Paths

Hello Manchester! Welcome back to a recurring column about navigating our lovely city on foot, scooter, bicycle, etc. This time of year it feels so wonderful to be out in the sun with a breeze in your hair. For most of us, the exercise is a welcome bonus. So let’s get into it!

In this edition, let’s talk about:

  • Bike parking at the Taco Tour
  • Running: Happy Hour Hustle
  • Antique (1885) bike in DoubleTree
  • Tour de NH: Rail Trails
  • ARMI’s Transportation Equity Survey
  • Bike to Work Day
  • Video: guide to bike commuting
  • Trans NH Ride, fundraiser for MDA
  • Mellow Manchester map

Taco Tour Bike Parking

One of my favorite Manchester events is rapidly approaching! I love seeing Elm Street full of people on foot enjoying the day with tons of tacos. A whopping 25,000 people are expected!

BikeValet

Parking will not be easy, so ride your bike instead and park it safely with volunteers from Queen City Bike Collective. Parking will be at:

  • Stanton Plaza, in front of the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel
    700 Elm Street Manchester, NH 03101
BikeValetMap

Be aware, bikes are not permitted to be ridden throughout the event.

Getting a ticket in advance to park your bike will help QC Bike to plan ahead, but they’ll make every effort to take your bike, even if they’re getting full. The first 20 to come with an advance ticket will get a QC Bike tee shirt! Bikes must be retrieved by 8 PM.

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Advance Bike Parking Tickets HERE.


Running: Happy Hour Hustlehustle square 4

This series of five races organized by Millennium Running has two located in Manchester while the other three are nearby — two in Londonderry, one in Bedford. Each benefits a different charity, see below.

  • Week 1: Thursday, May 16, 2024 (Londonderry)
  • Week 2: Thursday, June 13, 2024 (Manchester)
  • Week 3: Thursday, July 18, 2024 (Londonderry)
  • Week 4: Thursday, August 1, 2024 (Bedford)
  • Week 5: Thursday, September 19, 2024 (Manchester)

More info is available here.


1885 Xtraordinary Challenge bike on display at DoubleTree

In our city we’re lucky to have the Manchester Historic Association who do an amazing job of preserving and publicizing many fascinating aspects of our life from the past. While attending an event at the DoubleTree Hilton recently I passed a wonderful display of a 139-year-old bicycle. I’ve seen old bikes before but never anything like this!

OldBikePhoto

This bike was manufactured by Singer & Co. in Coventry England in 1885. (Company named for George Singer, no relation to the sewing machine maker.) In the photo you can see that the fork has a slight rake — a forward angle compared to the vertical tube holding the handlebars — which improved safety by moving the rider’s mass a bit rearward compared to the axle of the front wheel. In a later innovation Singer would improve on this by adding a curve to the fork.

 

Also on display was a great old photo of Manchester cyclists.

ManchesterOldCyclists


Tour de NH: Discover Rail Trails

To recognize May as National Bike Month, you are invited by:

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  • the Bike Walk Alliance of New Hampshire
  • the Granite State Wheelers
  • the New Hampshire Rail Trails Coalition

on a series of bike tours along the rail trails of the Granite State.

NOTE: Space limited, registration required.


Tour de NH Poster 6


Whether you’re a seasoned cyclist or new to biking, these weekend tours are designed to ignite your sense of adventure and showcase the natural beauty of New Hampshire’s rail trail system.

Each weekend in May, we’ll highlight a different rail trail, listed below. These rides will provide a safe and supportive environment to learn about cycling, trail etiquette, and the rich history of these scenic routes.

The rides will include:

  • Saturday, May 4: New Hampshire’s longest rail trail: The Northern Rail Trail
  • Saturday, May 11: The trails of the Queen City: Manchester NH (may be filled already)
  • Saturday, May 18: The Rail Trails of the White Mountains: Presidential Rail Trail and the Cross New Hampshire Adventure Trail
  • Sunday, May 26: The Rail Trails of the Elm City: Keene, NH
  • Friday, May 31: The Trails of Bethlehem: Bethlehem, NH

ARMI’s Transportation Equity Survey

ARMI logo

Right here in Manchester’s mill yard, the folks at ARMI (Advanced Regenerative Manufacturing Institute) are on a mission to advance manufacturing, healthcare, and education & workforce development for the United States. This will involve some amazing biotechnology innovations, which in turn will require a vibrant workforce. As part of ARMI’s efforts to ensure they can offer an appealing work environment, they are conducting a study on transportation in the area, to discover issues faced by commuters.

You can access the survey here.

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And to learn more about it, see the video here.

The results of this survey will positively impact all citizens of Manchester, so please take the survey!


Bike to Work Day

BikeMonth copy

It’s spring! Greenery is popping out everywhere and many of us can’t wait to get outside. Fittingly, May is National Bike Month, established in 1956 to showcase the many benefits of bicycling, and encourage more folks to giving biking a try.

A high point of the month is Bike to Work Day! It’s on Friday May 17th. On that day, Manchester commuters will have two opportunities to fuel up and connect with the biking community.

  1. Pedal over to City Hall Plaza between 7-9 am on your way to work to get some coffee and snacks with Mayor Jay Ruais.
  2. On your way home stop by the Queen City Bicycle Collective at 35 Elm St. between 4-6 pm for some afternoon energy and to learn about your local community bike shop.

No matter your destination, come and celebrate getting around town by bike!

Manch Bfast 3


Video: Guide to Bike Commuting

See video below:

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Early in this video the narrator says: “…especially if you live in a city that doesn’t make it easy by providing safe, separated bike infrastructure.” I’ll bet that applies to many of us. But for better context, here’s the full opening quote:

“Bike commuting can make your life better in so many ways, but it can be difficult to get started, especially if you live in a city that doesn’t make it easy by providing safe, separated bike infrastructure. So, after many years of bike commuting, here is my advice to help you get started.”

The full video is 21 minutes long, and offers a great discussion with many tips, whether you’ll bike to work occasionally or every day.


Trans NH Ride, raises funds to fight MDA

TransNHBikeRide

Founded in 1988, this ride is a fully supported 1, 2, or 3-day exploration of New Hampshire, with a mission to raise funds and awareness for people living with neuromuscular diseases. By cycling many miles of New Hampshire roads – in all weather conditions – riders show support for those living with muscular dystrophy who face challenges daily.

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  • Day 1: Beecher Falls, VT (NH border) -to- Littleton NH.
  • Day 2: Littleton, NH. -to- West Lebanon, NH.
  • Day 3: West Lebanon, NH -to- Concord, NH.

The cause, the camaraderie, the support and the challenge make the Trans-NH Bike Ride a very special ride — unlike one you’ll find anywhere else.

The Trans-NH Bike Ride has been rated the friendliest, best-supported ride in NH! It has been the event for people looking for a ride that’s unique, benefits a worthy cause — and most of all, is fun (and yes, a little challenging, too!).

Learn more here.


Mellow Manchester Map

Rochester NY has a map of low-stress bike routes.

Chicago has the Mellow Chicago Bike Map.

Let’s make a Mellow Map for Manchester! While some of us are confident riding in busy traffic, many of us are more moderate in our skill on a bike, and not quite as comfortable on the open road. Today we don’t have a connected network of safe cycling paths separated from traffic. But we shouldn’t let that stop us from riding — riding is healthy & fun.

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Let’s assemble a map of safe & low-stress routes we know about, routes with mild vehicular traffic, with few revving engines & giant trucks. As it grows, we can share this map widely, so that folks who aren’t quite as comfortable navigating lots of traffic have alternate & safe ways to get where they need to go.

Share your favorite low-stress routes, along with routes you always AVOID, with me and I’ll put it all together into one map. SPOILER WARNING: this will probably take some time to come together.

Send all suggestions to: rogersjeffreyc@gmail.com


Call for Input

We very much want to hear from you! Do you have any questions or concerns? What topics would you like us to cover? Send your feedback our way and we’ll get on it! We want to ensure this column meets your needs.

Have fun out there!

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Jeff Rogers

 

Reach Jeffrey Rogers at jeffreycrogers@me.com



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Meet Garret, Your Newest Morning Show Host on 97.5 WOKQ

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Meet Garret, Your Newest Morning Show Host on 97.5 WOKQ


Are you ready for your mornings reimagined?

Hi! I’m Garret Doll (like Ken, but less hair and not as handsome), and I’m teaming up with Katie Killourhy for 97.5 WOKQ’s new morning show, Garret & Katie in the Morning!

You ready to join us?

So, Who Is Garret Doll?

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I’ve learned something about myself… I don’t like clutter. Unless it’s my clutter. Then it’s not clutter, it’s a system.

That’s probably a pretty accurate starting point for who I am. A little self-aware, a little stubborn, and definitely someone who knows what he likes. I like tacos, steak tips and lobster rolls. (Fun fact: I’ve never had a lobster roll until moving here.)

How It All Started

This whole radio thing started for me when I was 15. My mom helped me land a job at a radio station in my hometown (cause she worked there), and I fell in love with radio. I’ve never left this career.

I’ve spent my entire adult life doing this job, and I still feel like I lucked into the best job in the world. No two days are the same. One minute you’re talking about life, the next you’re playing your favorite songs, then suddenly you’re out in the community meeting people who feel like friends you’ve known forever.

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Most of my career took me to places like Denver, Charleston, and Richmond. Now, somehow, it’s brought me here to New Hampshire.

Honestly, I look at it like a “this is exactly where I’m supposed to be” moment. It’s a new start on life, so to speak. You will learn more about that as we get to know each other and you listen to the show on 97.5 WOKQ.

Why WOKQ Matters to Me

WOKQ is one of those stations you hear about in radio. It’s got history. It’s got heart. And it’s built around a community that actually cares about local connection and country music throughout New England.

That matters to me.

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I don’t want to just “be on the radio.” I want to be part of what’s happening here. The towns, the events, the random conversations at a bar, the places you tell your friends they have to check out.

That’s the fun part of all of this.

What I’m All About

I’m a pretty simple dude:

I’m the guy who would give you the shirt off my back

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Glass half full (even when it probably shouldn’t be)

Always smiling

Authentic… sometimes too authentic

And yeah, there are definitely moments where I say something before thinking it all the way through.

So if you ever hear me and think, “Did he really just say that?” There’s a decent chance the answer is yes.

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Some Quick Hits About Me

Coffee order: Americano

Drink Order: Old Fashioned or just a good local beer

Favorite food: Tacos (not even close)

Guilty pleasure show: The Big Bang Theory

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Pet peeve: Close talkers… and people who are late

Random fact: I once got a tattoo of Dopey from the Seven Dwarfs because a girl I was dating wanted one. We got them together. (Don’t worry, it’s been covered up by a microphone and a rose… and I haven’t heard from her in about 20 years)

Let’s Do This Together

I’m new to town, which means I could really use your help.

Where’s your go-to spot when you just want to get outside? Best place to hike? Kayak? Local bar? Just disappear for a few hours?

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READ MORE: Hidden Gems in New Hampshire: 5 Secret Places Worth Discovering

Drop me your favorites, because if there’s one thing I know, it’s that the best recommendations don’t come from Google… they come from you! The ones who actually live it.

And I’m ready to start exploring and getting to know you. So make sure to tune in to Garret & Katie in the Morning! See you there.

BankNH Pavilion: Summer Show Lineup, 2026

Gallery Credit: Sarah Sullivan





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2 Hudson, NH, residents arrested after cats found abandoned

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2 Hudson, NH, residents arrested after cats found abandoned


HUDSON, N.H. — An animal cruelty investigation led to the arrest of two former tenants who police say left three cats behind in the apartment they were evicted from.

The Hudson Police Department said officers responded to 19 Oliver Drive on Nov. 25 after the town’s animal control officer received a report that multiple cats had been left behind in an apartment previously occupied by Faith Byers, 48, and Kevin Greene, 57.

The pair had reportedly been evicted a week earlier, on Nov. 18.

Police said that attempts to reach Byers and Greene by phone were unsuccessful, and the property owner later confirmed that the two had moved out without taking the cats or arranging for their care.

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With the owner’s permission, police entered the apartment and found three cats alone inside the unoccupied residence.

Police said they determined the cats had been left unattended for several days in conditions lacking adequate airflow, sunlight, litter and consistent access to food or water. Police added that no care plan had been made for the animals, and neither former tenant indicated any intention to return for them.

The animals were safely removed and transported to the Animal Rescue League of New Hampshire in Bedford, where they are now receiving care.

Arrest warrants were issued for Byers and Greene, who are each charged with one count of cruelty to animals, a Class A misdemeanor. They were arrested on Friday and released on personal recognizance bail.

They are scheduled to appear in 9th Circuit Court Nashua District Division at 1 p.m. April 28.

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Follow Aaron Curtis on X @aselahcurtis, or on Bluesky @aaronscurtis.bsky.social.



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Pakistan hosts diplomatic discussions on ending war

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Pakistan hosts diplomatic discussions on ending war


Foreign ministers from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt will meet in Islamabad today in an attempt to come up with a plan to de-escalate the Iran war.

The meeting comes as several thousand more U.S. troops arrived in the region and after another group got involved in the expanding conflict: Yemen’s Houthis.

The Iran-backed Houthis launched missiles towards Israel, and there’s concern their involvement could threaten another vital global shipping lane in the Red Sea.

Here are more updates on day 30 of the Iran war.

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Diplomacy Push in Pakistan

The four foreign ministers from regional powers will meet in Islamabad today and Monday for a push towards diplomacy to end the war.

In a statement ahead of the meeting, the Egyptian government said: “Discussions are expected to focus on recent developments related to regional military escalation and ongoing diplomatic efforts to contain tensions and promote de-escalation.”

“The talks come amid heightened concerns about regional stability, with participating countries seeking to coordinate their stances and support political solutions to emerging crises,” it added.

Whether whatever consensus the countries known as “the quad” come up with will be accepted by the US, Israel, and Iran is another question.

Pakistan has emerged as a possible peace-broker in the conflict, passing messages between the U.S. and Tehran. Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said Saturday that “dialogue, diplomacy, and such confidence-building measures are the only way forward.”

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Dar also welcomed the fact Iran has agreed to allow 20 Pakistan-flagged ships – or two a day – through the Strait of Hormuz.

Houthis enter war

Iranian-backed Houthi militants in Yemen launched the first missile they have fired since the war began toward Israel on Saturday. Israel’s military successfully intercepted it but the Houthis’ attack opens another front in a war that has now moved into its second month.

Up until Saturday’s missile launch the Houthis had stayed out of this war. But a Houthi spokesman said attacks will continue until “the aggression on all resistance fronts stops.”

Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs / AP

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AP

In this photo released by the Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, left, meets with his Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar in Islamabad, Pakistan, Sunday, March 29, 2026.

The Yemen-based rebels were active during Israel’s war in Gaza, firing on cargo ships in the Red Sea and disrupting global commercial traffic.

With Iran essentially blockading the Strait of Hormuz, driving up global oil prices, there are concerns that if the Houthis start attacking ships in the Red Sea again global shipping will be even more disrupted.

Iran also hit multiple sites around Tel Aviv and Jerusalem Saturday and Israel’s military says Iran is increasingly using cluster bombs.

Designed to detonate at high altitude the munition disperses dozens of smaller bombs that are more challenging for Israel’s multi-layered air defense system to intercept and can cause damage over a wider area.

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Dozens of countries have signed onto a cluster munitions treaty banning the weapons – except Iran, Israel and the U.S.

Iran threatens U.S. universities in region

Iranian authorities and residents say more airstrikes hit them overnight. Social media videos from across Iran showed strikes hitting all over the country.

Israel’s military said it had completed what it called a wide-scale wave of strikes targeting weapons production and storage sites.

Iran claims U.S.-Israeli strikes hit a Tehran university over the weekend and Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps threatened American university campuses in the Middle East in retaliation.

“We advise all employees, professors, and students of American universities in the region and residents of their surrounding areas” to stay a kilometer away from campuses, the statement, carried by Iranian media, said.

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Several US universities have campuses in the Gulf, including New York University in the United Arab Emirates and Texas A&M University, among others, in Qatar.

Meanwhile, Iran continues to fire drones and missiles at Gulf countries, with Kuwait saying it was intercepting missile and drone attacks early Sunday. Saudi Arabia said it intercepted and destroyed ten drones.

Iran also claimed it had attacked two major aluminium sites in Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Emirates Global Aluminium confirmed an Iranian attack wounded several and caused significant damage to its plant.

U.S. Troops injured, more arrive

At least 15 U.S. service members were wounded Friday in an Iranian strike on a Saudi air base that hosts American troops, according to the Associated Press, including at least five in serious condition. The missile and drone strikes targeted Saudi Arabia’s Prince Sultan air base, located outside the capital Riyadh.

A first responder assists an injured boy following a strike that hit a residential building amid the U.S.-Israeli military campaign in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, March 28, 2026.
A first responder assists an injured boy following a strike that hit a residential building amid the U.S.-Israeli military campaign in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, March 28, 2026.

Iran has targeted U.S. service members at bases throughout the region since the war began a month ago, in retaliation for the U.S. attacks and seeking to drive troops out of the region. Overall, the Pentagon has put the U.S. casualty toll at 13 killed and more than 300 injured.

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On Saturday, troops from the Japan-based 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, made up of around 3,500 sailors and Marines, arrived in the Middle East, according to U.S. Central Command.

The U.S. military will not say where and how they might be deployed. Thousands more soldiers from the U.S. military’s 82nd Airborne Division are also expected to be deployed.

Journalists killed in Lebanon

Three Lebanese journalists covering the Israeli invasion of the country’s south were killed in an Israeli airstrike in Jezzine.

Women hold posters showing Al-Mayadeen TV reporter Fatima Ftouni, left, and, in another poster, Hezbollah's Al-Manar TV correspondent Ali Shoeib, center, and cameraman Ali Ftouni during their funeral at a temporary cemetery in Dahiyeh, Beirut's southern suburbs, Beirut, Lebanon, Sunday, March 29, 2026.
Women hold posters showing Al-Mayadeen TV reporter Fatima Ftouni, left, and, in another poster, Hezbollah’s Al-Manar TV correspondent Ali Shoeib, center, and cameraman Ali Ftouni during their funeral at a temporary cemetery in Dahiyeh, Beirut’s southern suburbs, Beirut, Lebanon, Sunday, March 29, 2026.

One of them worked for a TV channel affiliated with Hezbollah and Israel accuses him of being a militant rather than a journalist – but has not provided evidence. The journalist Israel says it targeted was Ali Shaeb, a veteran TV correspondent and household name in Lebanon. After killing him, Israel’s military issued a statement accusing him of exposing the locations of Israeli troops.

The other two journalists killed were siblings, TV correspondent Fatima Ftouni and her cameraman brother, Mohammed Ftouni. Afterward their father appeared on TV, saying he was proud of his children.

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All three had been covering Israel’s invasion of southern Lebanon.

Lebanese officials called the attack a flagrant violation of international law, and said they’re complaining to the UN Security Council. Hundreds of fellow journalists marched at a protest vigil in Lebanon’s capital.

The three journalists were among at least 47 people killed Saturday in Israeli attacks, according to Lebanese health officials.

Nine of those killed were paramedics, which the head of the World Health Organization called “a tragedy,” noting health workers are protected under international law.

Residents inspect their home after it was struck by an Iranian missile in Eshtaol, central Israel, Saturday, March 28, 2026.
Residents inspect their home after it was struck by an Iranian missile in Eshtaol, central Israel, Saturday, March 28, 2026.

Israel has intensified its attacks across Lebanon, mostly in the South, where Israeli ground troops are moving northward to try to oust Hezbollah militants.

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Another Israeli soldier was also killed in Lebanon, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressing his condolences on X over the weekend.

Developments in Syria, Iraq

The war is spreading to more parts of the Middle East. On Sunday, Syria said it had intercepted a drone strike from Iraq targeting a U.S. military base. Pro-Iran Iraqi groups have claimed responsibility for some attacks on US interests.

Separately, the Syrian and UAE governments condemned an attack targeting the residence of the Kurdish region’s president Nechirvan Barzani.

French President Emmanuel Macron also condemned the attack saying: “The sovereignty of Iraq, and of Kurdistan within it, is essential to regional stability. Everything must be done to prevent Iraq from being drawn into the ongoing escalation.”

On Sunday, the Israeli army said it had launched its “first” attack into Lebanon from Syria.

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Jane Arraf in Amman, Emily Feng in Van, Turkey, Lauren Frayer in Jezzine, Lebanon, Carrie Khan in Tel Aviv, and Kate Bartlett in Johannesburg contributed to this report.

Copyright 2026 NPR





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