Peter Odell, a beloved Bicycle Club of Philadelphia member and terrific ride leader, went from not owning a bike to leading a bike tour to Quebec within a couple of years. During that time led bicycle rides nearly every weekend for the club. In 1993 he created this event, originally ending in Little Italy and Chinatown in the early years. He extended the route into Brooklyn Heights via the Brooklyn Bridge in 1997. Despite increasing development in New Jersey, the route has remained virtually unchanged since then, which is a testament to his genius. The Peter Odell Memorial Ride to Brooklyn truly is a one-of-a-kind adventure.
Peter and his wife were very active in community affairs. As administrator for management and development with the Fairmount Park Commission, he was responsible for raising money to finance a wide variety of projects including SRT Trail, restoration of the Waterworks and the redevelopment of the Manayunk Canal. A bridge along the SRT trail beside the Manyaunk Canal is named after Peter. One of the benches near the Rittenhouse Paper Mill along the Wissahickon Creek Trail is dedicated to the memory of Peter and his wife.
