Click HERE for Monday's route. We no longer use paper cue sheets, so please familiarize yourself with the route or put it into your phone or other GPS device. NOTE THE 5:30 PM START TIME. Since the regular season has ended, use your best judgment for weather. A formal cancellation might not be posted.
** If we have 2 ride leaders in any week, our priority will be to have up to 30 riders (maximum of 15 in each group, not including ride leaders and sweepers). We expect all riders to maintain our usual average speed of 15-16 mph. As the season progresses, we MAY, but will not necessarily have a group that rides faster than that average speed, depending on what riders prefer. We will always accommodate riders who can maintain the 15-16mph average speed. Riders who cannot maintain that average will be asked to leave the group while we are on the WOD, but can join us another time. Any rider who wants to leave the ride early should let a ride leader or sweeper know. The pace is an average, not a constant, so we expect to accelerate down hills, and faster hill climbers will wait at the top of hills to give everyone a chance to catch up. We will also re-group if we get separated after traffic lights, and we will wait for and help anyone who has a mechanical problem. If you prefer a slower pace and shorter ride overall, please join the RBC Women's Ride from the Bike Lane in Reston, which is also a 6pm Monday ride.
If you have never or rarely ridden in a group, the ride leaders can give you basic tips and guidelines before and during the ride. You don't need group riding experience to join us, but you must be willing to learn and follow basic group riding rules and etiquette, and you must be comfortable with the concept of riding with a group, and with riding on roads.
** Let's try working on rotating pacelines! We will NEVER do this for the full ride - just short segments. We did this a few years ago, before Covid. If you're not familiar with paceline riding, here are some youtube videos that will help:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vGM6sTDfE8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QS4YJVqp2gE
In the second video, the riders are in the UK, so their paceline is opposite ours. Our paceline will be on the right side of the lane. The riders rotating out and then back in will be on the left side.
Lisa Mackem, Susie Littlejohn, and Karen Palino, can lead and sweep, and Dave Meyer or someone else from The Green Lizard can also sweep during the regular season. If anyone else is interested in leading or sweeping a ride, let one of us know!
Please note that we pass only on the LEFT. Call the pass to the pedestrian or rider in front of you, and allow plenty of room.
We'll stay together as much as possible. Sunset is at 6:49 pm. If you will be biking home after the ride, please use a headlight, in addition to your required red taillight.
Ride distances will vary with the amount of evening daylight. Rides are not held when the forecast for rain is greater than 50%. Ride cancellations will be posted on Social Media and registered riders will be emailed whenever possible. All rides will include a mixture of road and WOD riding.
All riders must sign (or have already signed for 2022) a liability waiver. You can do that HERE. RBC Membership is $25 per year and you can take care of that HERE, but your first ride is free if you want to try us out.
