Cyclists pedal over the Skyway in 11th annual SkyRide

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) -- More than 1,500 cyclists got to see Buffalo from a unique vantage point on Sunday at GoBike's 11th annual SkyRide, where bikers rode over the Skyway. 

"This has been on my bucket list for a few years," said Sue Hogenkamp, who signed up to ride with her friend, Donna Ledwin.

"It is super fun. I love going over the skyway ... on a bike, you have a lot more time," Ledwin said. "You're really taking the panorama and you're also working really hard. It looks easy in a car, it is not easy on a bike."

The event takes bikers on a 13-mile course starting on the Skyway and around downtown. For the first time this year, people could bike on parts of the I-190.  

"The reason we shut down the highway to do this -- it's not just for the great view, because it is great and it is fun, but for many this is the first time they're riding their bikes without the fear of a car coming up behind them," said GoBike executive director Kevin Heffernan.

GoBike partners with Independent Health for this event. Their goal is to promote a healthier and more bike-friendly Buffalo. 

"We're building a healthier community and a more connected community when we get people out on bikes," Heffernan said.