There is nothing like feeling the weather warming and gearing up for another season on the bike. Yes. I’ve been riding for exercise, and I’ve been riding for errands, but now I’m back to riding for pure fun.
Our calendar is already filling up with events — I even have two next week. Pretty soon we’ll be spending the day riding from rest stop to rest stop, enjoying good company, eating delicious foods (often pie!), and sometimes even listening to live music.
If you have never participated in a bike event in the past, or if you want to troll the internet for some new rides to try, here are some links to start your search.
- Active.com — Bike, run, walk, swim events, you name it. Active has them all.
- Specialized Women’s Ride Day — This Sunday the chicks are taking over the roads and trails across the country. Join us! It’s free!
- Team in Training – If you would like coaching, resources, and teammates to train with, then start here.
- Livestrong — To me, Livestrong throws the best cycling events around. How could they not with Lance Armstrong at the helm?
- Tour de Cure — This year Tommie and I will be riding for the first time in the American Diabetes Association’s annual event in Reston, VA. I’ve heard only great things.
- Bike MS — Friends tell me that the National MS Society hosts an amazing bike ride. They have events EVERYWHERE!
- Local bike clubs — All over the country there are bike clubs that host rides for all levels of riders every week. In the DC area we have tons of options for rides through the Oxon Hill Bicycle and Trail Club, the Potomac Pedalers, and the Reston Bike Club.
- Local bike shops — Same thing. Find any local bike shop, and they will not only advertise bike events, but they will almost always offer group rides like the clubs do. Take a look at what these shops are doing: Mellow Johnny’s (Austin, TX), NYC Velo (New York, NY), Cycle World (Miami, FL), Helen’s Cycles (Santa Monica, CA), Revolution Cycles (DC area), and Intown Bicycles (Atlanta, GA).
Have other suggestions? Please share! Nothing is more fun than Bike Season.
