-IETHA AETHA Athens 'Freeday': Weekly night-time bicycle outings.

(From Athens News Agency)

What started out two-and-a-half years ago out as a weekly rendezvous among a handful of friends on Friday nights for a relaxing bicycle outing around Athens gradually attracted an increasing number of friends and, in recent months, after one of the excursionists had the idea of posting the outings on Facebook, the bicyclers have snowballed to more than 4,000 and the number continues to grow.

The idea began in February 2008 when the five friends decided to combine exercise with recreation, and got together, took out their beloved bicycles, and embarked on a series of "different" tours of Athens.

Soon, the five bikers became 10, by …