The Reston Bike Club is bringing back its Century Ride this Sunday (Aug. 22) after a one-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Now in its 38th iteration, this year’s Century Ride offers 33, 60, 80, and 100-mile routes. There are over 800 participants registered, and the organization is expecting 200 more.
With attendance capped at 1,200 riders this year, spots are limited, but the last-minute registration period will remain open until the morning of the event. The cost is now $85, which includes a t-shirt, a post-ride lunch and after-party as well as route support and photography.
Proceeds will “fund local and regional cycling-related projects such as trail building, bike racks, an after-school bike shop, and helmets for kids,” according to Reston Bike Club, a volunteer nonprofit that formed in 1982 to promote cycling in the area.
“We provide donations to our partners including the towns of Purcellville, Lovettsville, the W&OD trail, Ashburn & Hamilton Volunteer rescue squads,” said Laura Robinson, a member of the Century Ride organization team. “Last year, while not directly bike-related, we donated $1,000 to Cornerstones to support feeding our community.”
Reston Bike Club accepts donations on its ongoing basis through its website.
It also has a grant application that bicycle-related organizations and nonprofits can fill out to apply for funding. The club provides up to $1,000 for each approved grant request.
The promotional materials and t-shirt for this year’s Century Ride were designed by local artist Tracie Griffith Tso. She aimed to capture Reston in 2021, incorporating Brood-X cicadas and lotus flowers from the pond by Fannie Mae’s Reston Technology Center offices into the design.
“By engaging local artists, we believe we can celebrate where we live and ride,” Robinson said.
Reston Bike Club is still seeking a few volunteers for those who want to help but not ride. Volunteers do not get free entry into the ride. They will receive a T-shirt to be worn at the event during their volunteer time slot.
COVID-19 protocols will be followed in accordance with Virginia and Fairfax County guidelines due to the recent uptick in coronavirus cases. Volunteers will be required to wear masks and gloves, and social distancing will be required for both riders and volunteers. Hand sanitizer will be available for all.
The first bicyclists will start at 6:30 a.m., but the ride is a “show and go” event, meaning riders can begin whenever they arrive and show their wristband.
T-shirts and wristbands can be picked up ahead of time at The Bike Lane from 6-9 p.m. tonight (Thursday) or at House 6 Brewing from 6-9 p.m. tomorrow. Wristbands can also be picked up the day of the ride from 6:30-10 a.m. T-shirts are not guaranteed for last-minute registrations.
The ride will start and end at the Reston Town Center pavilion (1818 Discovery Street). After the riders have finished, there will be an after-party with boxed lunches from noon to 4:30 p.m.
Northland Controls Expands into Reston — The company, which designs, installs and manages security systems around the world, has new offices in Reston on 12100 Sunset Hills Road. The new space allows the company to “hire additional talent and better accommodate our growing team,” according to CEO Pierre Trapanese. [Northland Controls]
Reston Bike Club Hands Out Bike Lights — The Reston Bike Club and the Dulles Area Transportation Association are making sure local essential workers have front and bike lights to get them through the winter safely. [Local DVM]
Winners Named in Carving Test — Reston Association has named three winners in its Great Pumpkin Carving Contest. Winners were named in the categories of classic, most creative and funniest looking. [RA]
Photo by Marjorie Copson
As the year comes to a close, the Reston Bicycle Club topped $5,100 in donations to community projects that support bicycling.
“The Reston Bike club is proud to provide financial and member volunteer support to community initiatives that promote cycling for fun, exercise, and as a commuting alternative,” Club President Chip Magrogan said in a press release.
The club’s executive committee voted last week to donate to local bicycling organizations. Kelley Westenhoff, the vice-chairman of the Reston Bicycle Club, said the checks are in the mail.
TrailsforYouth.org, the Mid-Atlantic Off-Road Enthusiasts and the Fairfax Alliance for Better Bicycling will receive $1000 each, while $500 was donated to NOVA Cycling. Earlier this year, the club donated to the Be AMYazing Reston Youth Triathlon as well as the Reston Sprint Triathlon.
“2018 was our first year of formalizing donations with a grant application, etc. thus donations for past years are hard to track as they were on a more ‘as needed’ basis,” Westenhoff told Reston Now via email.
“That said, I’ve been on the board for two years, and was involved with some of the past donations, so I can say that this year’s total so far is the highest we’ve gone in a year — with the exception of some big projects we funded such as bike racks in Reston and the bike counter for [Fairfax Alliance for Better Bicycling],” Westenhoff added.
The club, founded in 1982, aims to promote bicycling around Reston and other nearby communities. Funding for philanthropy comes from club member dues and the club’s annual Century Ride, held in August.
Club membership includes social rides and training rides every day of the week from April through September and on weekends year-round. Membership costs $25 annually.
Photo via Facebook
Reston Bike Club holds annual century — “The locally-based nonprofit organization, Reston Bike Club, held their annual RBC Century on Sunday, Aug. 26 with distance options for cyclists of Half-Metric-33.3 miles, Metric- 64.9 miles, Century-80 -77.9 miles and Century-102.9 miles. The planned routes took cyclists through parts of Fairfax and Loudoun counties.” [The Connection]
Fog advisory in effect until 10 a.m. — Areas of dense fog will cause reductions in visibility and rapidly changing travel conditions. Visibility may often be reduced to less than one-quarter mile. [National Weather Service]
A piece of the Pentagon — The Fairfax County Police Department and the Fairfax County Fire & Rescue Department were honored with a piece of the Pentagon to display in the museum of the Fairfax County Public Safety Department’s headquarters. [Fairfax County Police Department]
Flickr pool photo by vantagehill
An update of the century — The 36th annual Century is still on, even though organizers are aware of collapsed roads in Loudoun County. The road of the century will likely be re-rerouted. [Reston Bike Club]
Take a Break concert tonight —Â Â Catch New Orleans jazz in the weekly summer “Take a Break” concert series. The concert is free and open for all ages. [Reston Community Center]
Family splash tomorrow — Drop in for a night of family fun at the Terry Smith Aquatics Center at RCC Hunters Woods from 7-9 p.m. today. [Reston Community Center]
Flickr pool photo by vantagehill
Rides on the Washington & Old Dominion Trail in recent days have been damaging for some bicyclists, as tacks spread on the path in the Herndon area have disabled bikes.
Bernard Kocis, service manager at Green Lizard Cycling in downtown Herndon, said he’s had to fix about 10 flat tires in the past two days because of the issue.
“That’s just people who have come in,” Kocis said. “How many people have fixed their own or called for a ride or whatever, I don’t know.”
The Reston Bike Club is warning its social media followers of the concern.
There has been a rash of tacks on the W&OD west of Herndon, causing many flats. W&OD Maintenance has gone out…
Posted by Reston Bike Club on Tuesday, September 12, 2017
In a comment on Reston Bike Club’s Facebook page, Green Lizard owner Beth Meyer said a majority of the tacks were reported to be in the area of the trail between Ferndale Avenue and Crestview Drive in Herndon. A moderator for the Bike Club’s page said they have been noted as far out as the Pacific Avenue crossing in Sterling, which is just west of Route 28.
“All the tacks look the same,” Kocis said, adding that while he rode into work on that area of the path Monday, he didn’t suffer damage.
Karl Mohle, park manager for the W&OD Trail, said a crew was sent out Monday afternoon with a magnetic sweeper in the effort to capture as many of the tacks as possible.
“They went down the trail and swept it clear, [and] we’re going to check it out almost daily,” Mohle said. “I don’t know if this is just a one-time, kind of high-school thing, or what.”
Mohle said that in his 10 years on the job, this is the first time he has heard of such an incident on the trail, which runs 45 miles from Purcellville in Loudoun County to Shirlington in Arlington County. Kocis also said this is an abnormal occurrence that is causing undue heartache to riders.
“[The bikers] are not happy when they have to have a tack pulled out of their tire and have to pay for service to have it repaired,” he said. “It’s an irritant, and people are riding bikes to have fun.”
SLHS Class of 2017 Graduates Tonight — The event is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at Eagle Bank Arena on the campus of George Mason University. [Fairfax County Public Schools]
Nationwide Vigils for Nabra Hassanen — The Women’s Initiative for Self Empowerment has planned numerous vigils across the nation in honor of Nabra Hassanen, the Reston teen who was killed Sunday. Events are scheduled in DC, New York, Philadelphia, Boston and more. [WISE/Facebook]
Connolly Talks Issues — Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) held a town-hall meeting Monday night in Reston. Check out his Twitter feed to see what was discussed. [Gerry Connolly/Twitter]
Volunteers Sought for Century Ride — The 35th annual ride is scheduled for Aug. 27, and helpers are needed for planning, rest stops and cleanup. [Reston Bike Club]
Photo of Reston sunset courtesy Lizette Badillo Ryan
