Local Riders Invited to Join Advocacy Ride to Washington

On Tuesday, March 20^th, U.S. cyclocross racing legend Tim Johnson will lead his Ride on Washington through College Park, MD on its way from Boston to the National Bike Summit in Washington DC.  The bike summit is a meeting of advocates for preserving funding for bicycle, pedestrian, and public transit in the federal Transportation legislation.

Area riders are invited to join the group for a pitstop at Proteus Bicycles in College Park, followed by a group ride to Washington DC.  The shop will host a reception for local riders starting at 12pm.  Greenbelt riders are welcome to join us at 11:30am at the New Deal Cafe to head over to the shop.

Dr. Allen Lim and Chef Biju Thomas, authors of The Feed Zone cookbook, will be on hand to sign books and greet local riders.  Dr. Lim and Chef Thomas have cooked for the RadioShack pro racing team at the Tour of California; Dr. Lim has worked with RadioShack and Garmin racing teams at the Tour de France and other pro tour events.

The long-distance riders are expected to arrive at about 1pm, and we will set off for DC as a group at 1:30pm.  The ride to DC will highlight local bike trails, including the Anacostia Tributary trails in Maryland, the Metropolitan Branch trail in DC, the 15^th Street Bikeway, and the Pennsylvania Ave. median bike lanes.  We will pass by the White House and arrive at the U.S. Capitol grounds at approximately 3pm.  There will be reception near the reflecting pool at 3rd street from 3pm to 3:30pm. 

The Finale to DC ride will take a moderate pace and there will be experienced riders to help guide first timers in the group.  The course is mostly on paved trails, quiet residential streets, and bike lanes.  Riders are welcome to join the ride along the way.  Metro stops are alongside the route in several locations and Capital Bikeshare stands are can be found near the Brookland/CUA Metro station, along R Street NW, and along 15^th Street NW.  (Note, full-size bikes are not allowed on Metro trains during rush hour, 3:30pm to 7pm on weekdays.)

For riders heading back to College Park, the group from Proteus will return at about 3:30pm or 4pm and arrive at the shop around 5pm.  The total round-trip ride distance from College Park is about 30 miles.

The full itinerary for the day is as follows:

10:30 AM - Leave Hampton Inn & Suites Inner Harbor in Baltimore, MD
12:PM - Reception for area cyclists joining the ride to DC at Proteus bike shop.  Book signing with Dr. Allen Lim and Chef Biju Thomas, authors of The Feed Zone cookbook.
1PM - Long-distance riders arrive at Proteus Bicycles in College Park, MD (15 miles from finish)
1:30PM - Leave Proteus Bicycles.
2:15 - Arrive at CaBi station at 12th and Newton St
2:30 - Florida and R streets, NW
2:40 - 15^th and P streets, NW
2:45 - White House (Lafayette Park)
2:55 - 14^th and D streets NW (Penn. Ave median cycletrack)
3PM - Arrive at finish location at 3rd St SW between Madison and Jefferson Drives, just west of the Capitol Reflecting pool.
3:30PM - Finish ceremony concludes
3:30 or 4PM - College Park group heads back to Proteus bike shop
5PM-5:30PM - Arrive at Proteus

The approximate route map for the ride from Baltimore is available at: http://ridewithgps.com/routes/966811

The attached video show scenes from a recent ride along the same route.

I hope you can join us!  -Jeff