Sports
Over 1,250 Participate in Reston Century
Annual bike event sponsored by the Reston Bike Club draws a crowd.
Bicycle enthusiasts from all over the region started and finished at the Reston Town Center Pavilion in the 28th Annual Reston Century sponsored by the Reston Bike Club.
Over 1,250 people, including 350 walk-up riders, biked through parts of Fairfax and Loudoun County to help raise money for many local charities.
"At least half of the proceeds from the event go directly to bike support in the area," said Ed Robichaud, a member of the Reston Bike Club. "This will help implement new bike racks and help maintain the trails."
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The event featured three distinct routes that consisted of 35, 65 and 102 miles. Roughly two-thirds of all participants took part in the 102-mile Century course.
Riders were not encouraged to race for time, but to simply enjoy the scenery of a course that meandered through Hamilton, Waterford, Lovettsville and Stumpton and passed Leesburg, Purcellville and Round Hill.
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Bicyclists of all ages took part in the annual summer event. According to the Reston Bike Club, four riders were under the age of 18, with the youngest rider only 6.
Many volunteers were needed to make the event a success, including the Loudoun Amateur Radio Group. The group provided all communication needs to support four SAG vehicles that were located throughout the course in case of an emergency.
This was the Loudoun Amateur Radio Group's eighth year helping out at the Reston Century and their main goal was to use their expertise in radio equipment to check up on riders.
"The SAG vehicles all had GPS positioning," said Loudon Amateur Radio Group member Rick Miller. "We also had four bicyclists on the course with ham radios."
Miller also said he used equipment in his nearby townhouse as a post to relay weak signals to walkie-talkies at their command central at the Reston Town Center.
The commemorative shirt logo was designed by artist Lori Goll in a contest. Her artwork depicted a biker going through the Town of Herndon.
The Century is the Reston Bike Club's primary yearly event. The 700-member club offers weekly sunset rides every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from April to September. It also sponsors year-round weekend activities. Yearly membership fees are $15.
