Alex Pretti loved bikepacking. He was also known in his South Minneapolis neighborhood as a friendly guy who enjoyed walking his dog, someone who greeted the folks who passed by.
On Jan. 24, while filming U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity and helping a shoved woman to her feet, Pretti was pepper-sprayed by ICE agents who pinned him to the street and then shot him dead.
As information became released on social media and substantiated by news outlets, the picture of who Pretti, 37, was in life — an ICU nurse who cared for veterans, an outdoorsman and a legal gun-owner — made the shooting death all the more harrowing.
Pretti, for his civic altruism, resembled so many of our friends, neighbors, pals from group rides — us.
Cycling communities throughout the world are close-knit. That more than 100 “We Ride for Unity” rides have popped up globally in commemoration of Pretti and Renée Good, also 37 and another Minneapolis observer who was shot dead by an ICE agent on Jan. 7, is moving, yet isn’t surprising.
A Bend unity ride will roll from Thump Coffee’s west side location on Jan. 31 at 11 am. Riders are encouraged to show up early for coffee and conversation. Gravel bikes are recommended (although mountain bikes will serve nicely), not just because the updated 7.5-mile loop will involve gravel sections, but because Pretti was a diehard graveleur. Expect a party pace that will roll out to Phil’s Trailhead, up Ben’s and across Skyliners Road for some gravel action. The ride will finish at Thump.
The original unity ride was organized by Pretti’s favorite Minneapolis bike shop, Angry Catfish, and other local cycling groups, the Minnesota Star Tribune reported. In Oregon, unity rides are planned in Eugene, Portland, Salem, Corvallis and Medford, according to Bikepacking.com, which also posted a tribute to Pretti. The Bend ride is organized by two local cyclists who posted the public invitation on Strava.
This article appears in the Source February 5, 2026.
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Thanks for sharing this! We’ve updated the details with a shorter, more approachable route – trying to make this something any rider can enjoy. I updated info on the Strava link and you can also find the latest on Ingragram @misterbenweber
Is it possible to get the info for those of us who don’t use Strava or Instagram?
Never mind. Found it in the link in the article.
I’ve updated the info in the article and I’ve added a handy map.