ROCHESTER, N.Y. — To celebrate Juneteenth, cyclists geared up for the Juneteenth Underground Railroad Bike Ride. It's a journey through key locations and landmarks in Rochester. The goal is to remind the community of the courageous escaped enslaved individuals seeking freedom. 

More than 100 cyclists gathered at Genesee Valley Park on Wednesday for several miles of fitness, but also a history lesson. The bike ride is hosted by the health & wellness organization EE Pathways.

"I'm a huge bike advocate here in our community. I thought, 'let's put a ride together to show the historic information that we have to offer here, the home of Fredrick Douglass," said Karen Rogers, founder of EE Pathways.

The ride is approximately 10 miles, starting at the Genesee Valley Park trail. Cyclists will stop at five key landmarks to learn about their history and connection to the underground railroad. Each pedal stroke symbolizes the journey of escaped enslaved individuals seeking freedom.

"Without history, we're nothing," said Rogers. "So we have to educate people and inform them of what our past ancestors went through to get us here today."

"I want to know more about the Underground Railroad sites in Rochester, they don't get enough coverage," said cyclist David Merkel.

Riders face a challenging route, with each hill symbolizing the immense struggles and perseverance.

The first stop is Memorial AME Zion Church, where abolitionist Frederick Douglass started his newspaper, "The North Star," in the church basement.

Next on the journey is 42 Favor Street where Douglass continued his writing for "The North Star" and the expression of creative arts.

"This was an opportunity for us to be able to highlight the power of words, as Frederick Douglass was a writer, orator, a presenter," said Rashad Smith, organizer with Everday People PR.

Douglass's writings led him to the Talman Building, a known Underground Railroad station in downtown Rochester. The building, once the expansion site for his newspaper, is now home to city public figures.

Riders then made their way to one of Douglass's homes, where he lived with his wife and five children.

"His first born was Rosetta," said a woman guiding the tour. "First order of business, getting the house. The second order of business was getting her into school."

Overall, the journey seemed to work out well for the riders.

"Drivers have been pretty respectful," said Merkel. "I haven't run out of water, no flat tires, you know, that's a cyclist's dream."

The final stop was a lifesized statue of Frederick Douglass at Highland Park, installed in 1899.

Eventually, the group made it back to where they started. The riders were greeted with a song of celebration.

"I learned about the original home of Frederick Douglass on Alexander Street, it was a wonderful experience," said cyclist Denise Batise.

"Everyone received medals. Everyone started together. Everyone finished together," said Rogers.

Rogers also went on to say that she hopes that she can bring this back to the community every single year.