Bike Me DC!

Name: The Great Falls Ramble
Start: 2023-03-26T10:00-04:00
End: 2023-03-26T13:00-04:00
Location: Louise Archer Elementary School

Sterling, VA

881 members
Public group

Organized by John

and 3 others

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What we're about

Welcome to Bike Me DC!

If you live in the Washington D.C. metro area, love cycling, enjoy meeting people, making new friends, and want to have lots of fun, this group is for you! Our members include cyclists of all skill levels and interests, from the beginner just starting out to those in training for races or 100+ mile century rides. Some members are mostly interested in road cycling, others prefer trails, while others enjoy mountain biking most. Whatever your cycling interest, Bike Me DC! offers a wide variety of events for your cycling pleasure.

Bike Me DC! riding events are defined by a number of parameters, which include type, distance, pace, terrain, course.

Type: Indicates the degree of organizational support for the ride (e.g. impromptu, organizer led, or an event organized by a 3rd party such as a century ride) and what type of bicycle is most appropriate; e.g. road bike, hydride, mountain bike, etc.

Distance: One of the most obvious parameters is how far we’ll ride. Distance is measured in miles (unless specified otherwise) and rides will vary from 15 to 100+ miles. Mid-week rides, due to time constraints will typically be between 15 – 35 miles. Weekend rides may be anywhere between 15 – 100 miles.

Pace: Describes how fast we’ll ride and is measured in miles per hour. Leisure rides will be in the 12-14 mph range. Moderate paced rides are 15 – 18 mph, while a fast paced ride will be 18+ mph. Some riding events will be targeted at a specific pace, while other rides will accommodate all paces.

Terrain: Indicates the type of surface the ride will be on; e.g. road, dirt, paved trail, unpaved trail, flat, hilly, mountain, etc.

Course: Describes the path or route of the ride. Some rides will need and include maps & cue sheets. Other rides (e.g. a ride along the W&OD Trail) will not and will be guide by the ride leader. Anyone is encouraged to participate in our rides regardless of skill level or bike.

All rides are No Drop which means you will not be left behind. All rides include one or more rest stops allowing everybody a chance to catch up, stretch and catch their breath. Remember, no matter what other goals you might have for a particular ride, having a fun and safe ride is our most important goal. So come on out, meet some new friends and enjoy the ride!

A few other things to keep in mind…

Risk of Injury: Like any athletic activity, cycling entails an inherent risk of injury and you acknowledge and accept that risk, and agree that Bike Me! and its group leaders are not responsible for rider safety and/or injury (a signed waiver must be completed before your first ride with the group).

Photos: For security purposes, all members are required to have a good quality profile photo that is,

a) current or very recent,
b) a close up facial shot, and
c) includes ONLY yourself.

Additionally, photos will be taken of events and posted to the groups web site.

No Show Policy (https://www.meetup.com/Bike-Me-DC/pages/No_Show_Policy/) Please click this link to read the groups policy on no shows.

Upcoming events (1)

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The Great Falls Ramble

Sun, Mar 26, 2023, 10:00 AM UTC

The Great Falls Ramble

Louise Archer Elementary School

Arrive: 10:00 am

Pedal: 10:15 am

Join us for an early spring bicycle ride through scenic Great Falls, Virginia! The temperature will hopefully be in the low 50s by 10 am, so let's take advantage of the nice weather.

This 39 mile ride starts and ends in Vienna, Virginia. It includes portions of the Washington and Old Dominion Trail. It also goes through the historic towns of Vienna and Herndon and past the Barns at Wolf Trap. The ride includes a rest stop in Riverbend Park.

Post Ride: Caboose Brewing Company for lunch and refreshments.(http://www.caboosebrewing.com/)
The brewery is located right off the W&D trail about 1 mile from the start of the ride. The beer is also great.

Cue Sheets - Members are responsible for printing their own cue sheets using the links provided below.

Ride Details...

Ride A

Length: 39.8 miles
Total Climb: 2210 ft
Max Grade: 10.6 %
Recommended pace:
A1: 15 to 17 mph
A2: 13 to 14 mph

Comments: Since some of us (like me) have not been riding too much while others have kept up winter riding, we may divide into an A1 and an A2 group with the above paces.

Surface: Paved multi-purpose trail and roads
Terrain: Scenic, flat to hilly
Rest Stops: Great Falls National Park, Sunoco at (Great Falls Plaza), Green Lizard Cycling (Herndon)
Hazards: On the W & OD Trail – crossing intersections, runners, pedestrians, kids, moms withy strollers, other cyclists, and occasional furry creatures. On roads – automobile traffic & crossing at intersections
Recommended Bicycle: Road (including cyclocross)

Map for Ride A: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/4288588

The portion of this route through Great Falls is hilly, with a few of the hills being rather steep. Unless you are a super fit athlete, or a super masochist, you should not attempt this route on anything other than a road bike or cyclocross!

Ride B (there likely will not be a ride leader for this ride)

If you don’t like hills, this is the ride for you!

Length: 33.1 miles
Total Climb: 1113 ft.
Max Grade: 5.2 %
Recommended pace: 12 to 14 mph
Surface: Paved multi-purpose trail and roads
Terrain: Flat to slightly hilly
Rest Stops: Green Lizard Cycling (Herndon), Carolina BBQ (Ashburn)
Hazards: Crossing intersections, runners, pedestrians, kids, moms with baby strollers, other cyclists, and occasional furry creatures.
Recommended Bicycle: Any
Map for Ride B: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/19622901

Comments: You can make this a shorter (17.3 miles) ride with less climbing (688 ft) by turning around at Herndon.

What to Bring

· Helmet - Mandatory!
· Liquids - And plenty of them!
· Photo ID
· Money - Cash or credit card for food or emergency)
· Bicycle Emergency Repair Kit - (cash, mini tool, inner tube, CO2 cartridge or hand pump, etc.)
· Bike lock

Other Things to Keep in Mind

· Please review the group's No Show Policy (http://www.meetup.com/Bike-Me-DC/pages/No_Show_Policy/).
· If you RSVP "yes" and you are unable to attend due to unexpected circumstances, please call or text the event host.
· If you are running late, please call or text the event hosts w/ your ETA!
· No go if conditions are bad. This includes rain, wet roads, tornadoes, hurricanes, blizzards, earthquakes, locusts, or cats & dogs falling out of the sky.