Cycling across a natural rock arch in the desert near Moab, Utah

© Whit Richardson/Cava

Don't look down!. World Bicycle Day

On this World Bicycle Day, we spy a pair of cyclists cruising across Uranium Arch, a natural rock arch in the desert near Moab, Utah. Moab is a hotspot for mountain bikers due to its sprawling, intersecting trail system and stunning views. Popular trails take bicyclists over landscapes of petrified sand dunes and eroded remnants of an ancient seabed.

Since 2018, the UN General Assembly has recognized June 3 as World Bicycle Day to honor two centuries of two-wheelers. The bicycle has gone through many iterations since Karl Drais created a brakeless, pedal-less bike forerunner that he called a 'Laufmaschine' ('running machine') in 1817—it was later called a 'vélocipède,' a 'draisienne,' and derogatively a 'dandy horse.' The German inventor would likely be floored by today's variety of bike options, from lightweight road bikes to heavier mountain bikes with fat, knobby tires designed to handle rougher terrain and even snow. More than 200 years after Drais introduced his two-wheeled contraption, bicycles carry more passengers around the world than ever. Chances are there's one just waiting for you to take it for a spin, and what better day to do so than World Bicycle Day?