Editor’s note: This is the first story in a series that will look at some of the summer adventures available to our readers in metro Detroit. For other stories in this series follow the Summer Happenings link.

By Christian Davis
C & G Sports Writer

ROCHESTER HILLS — “When you hear the sound, I want you to jump in the saddle!” Dale Hughes yelled to the riders June 17 from the infield of the velodrome at Bloomer Park in Rochester Hills.

The “saddle” he referred to is the bike seat.

And when he rattled the metal rails outlining the track, the bikers took off, eventually reaching speeds close to 40 mph.

On this afternoon, seven riders were on the track. Some were professionals training for their next big race, while others were just their riding recreationally.

The wooden track at Bloomer Park is one of three in the United States and is the largest. Most other tracks are made of cement.

“You get faster by making yourself faster,” Rochester Hills resident Gene Diggs chimed in. “You have to get your legs to fire.” 

Diggs would know.

He spends most mornings at the velodrome, a 200-meter oval track — banked 44 degrees in the corners and 13 in the straightaways — voluntarily cleaning or touching up the lines on the track.

But mostly he’s on the track, riding.

It’s quite a feat considering Diggs is 74 years old and was walking with a cane just a few years ago after undergoing six surgeries on his knees.

And its the contrast of a rider like Diggs and the rest of the participants on the track — most of them under the age of 23 and training to hit the national and international circuit — that makes the velodrome so unique.

For those who prefer to watch, there are competitive cycling events. For those more adventurous, there are classes and riding passes available for purchase.

“It looks like you shouldn’t do that. Forty-four degrees and bikes without brakes, it doesn’t sound like something rational people should do,” Hughes said as Diggs let out a laugh. “As long as you pedal and keep your eyes looking ahead, the track will literally just take you around and around.

“There’s no cars; there’s no rocks. It’s smooth. You’re in a beautiful, pleasant setting. So it’s a great place to just come and enjoy yourself.”

Diggs enjoys it so much that he has averaged between 1,000 to 1,500 miles a year on the oval.

“If I could scrub off 50 years, I’d be out there with them,” he said while watching the competitive riders zoom by.

Diggs and most recreational riders reach speeds of 18-22 mph, and he said it’s a thrill.

“It’s not unlike a roller coaster that you can make as steep or as shallow as you want,” he said.

To witness speeds close to double that of an average rider, fans only have to visit the track on a night of a race.

“It’s all about speed,” Hughes said of the races, which take place every Friday night at 7 p.m. “In fact, our Friday night program is called NAS-track, because we’re playing off that NASCAR feel.

“It’s the same kind of adrenaline rush watching these riders.”

While the velodrome offers other racing formats on different nights during the summer, it’s the Friday night races, which pit up to 10 two-man teams on the track at the same time, that Hughes said draws the most excitement.            

Each team has a single rider on the track. Every two or three laps, they expertly switch on and off the track with their partner.

“Because there’s a lot of riders, there’s a lot of traffic, like NASCAR,” said Hughes, a Rochester Hills resident. “That’s when it becomes very dicey. No one likes to see a crash, but everyone likes to see (the riders) come out of some near misses.”

There were no near misses on this particular afternoon. By the end of the practice session, a couple of families wandered onto the hill that overlooks the track.

Hughes, who owns a company that builds velodromes, including the one used the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Ga., and voluntarily runs the track at Bloomer Park, was satisfied by the look of excitement and wonder on their faces, and he even heard a round of applause from the observers.

And as he noted earlier in the day, “We have to win them over one rider and one fan at a time. That’s the way we look at it.”

If you’re interested in giving it a try, Hughes said the introduction class is not necessary, but having a coach present for your first ride is.

The track is open daily from 8 a.m. until dusk and a daily pass to ride is $10. A yearly pass is $100.

A bike and riding equipment will be provided for $10 daily.

To catch a Friday night race, the cost is $3.

Hughes said the most important races of the summer take place July 4-6. The three-day event features numerous riders from over a dozen states. All the racers will be riding trying to meet a qualifying time for the winter circuit in Europe. Tickets are $5 for each day.

For more information on the track, race schedules and introduction classes, please visit www.velodromeatbloomerpark.com.

You can reach Sports Writer Christian Davis at cdavis@candgnews.com or at (586) 498-1062.