FABB Blog

Guest blogger: Jenifer Joy Madden

Liberating and organized. My two best words to describe DC Ride 2017. 

It was a cloudless cool morning as we headed from Arlington across the Memorial Bridge. We could hear the music at the starting point well before we saw the huge crowd across the river. 

People were smiling and upbeat as we formed into groups according to ability and were slowly released one by one, starting with the least experienced. The ride started along the river and then did a number of long switchbacks including around Hains Point and alongside Georgetown via the Whitehurst Freeway. 

There’s something wonderful about occupying a space always dominated by cars. Even when we reached a pinch point entering the 14^th street bridge, I felt triumphant walking slowly through a traffic jam of bikes. 

There were two main rest stops along the route with light snacks, water, port-a-potties, medical help, and friendly Velocity volunteer mechanics. 

As for the organized part, it was very different from the time I rode on the open streets in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park on a Sunday afternoon, when everyone was going every which way. In the DC ride, you have identification numbers affixed to your helmet, chest, and bike. The ride is closely monitored at all points and traffic flows one way. You can’t veer from the route, although there were several official places to bail out.

You had to plan ahead because the ride was not a loop. It started in West Potomac Park and ended up on Pennsylvania down near the Capitol. 

But the orderliness only added to the enjoyment. As the ride rolled on and space opened up between riders, if you didn’t look behind you, you could imagine you were rolling on your own through the open streets—an almost indescribable feeling of liberation. 

DC Bike Ride, a scenic urban bicycle ride celebrating the people, places, and culture of Washington, D.C. will debut in the District on May 22, as an exciting addition to National Bike Month celebrations.

 The recreational ride offers a unique car-free tour of the nation’s capital. Riders will cruise past some of the most iconic sites taking in everything from the Washington Monument to the White House and the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts. Participants will conclude their journey with a post-ride celebration near the United States Capitol. A complete ride itinerary is included at the end of this release.

“WABA is a proud founding partner of the DC Bike Ride,” stated Greg Billing, WABA’s Executive Director. “DCBR represents the return of a family-friendly, traffic-free bike ride to the District of Columbia, and our community couldn’t be more thrilled. We believe the best way to experience our region is on the seat of a bicycle. In addition to the good work of bringing people together, DC Bike Ride will provide critical resources for our community engagement work to support D.C.'s Vision Zero goal to end traffic fatalities by 2024.”