MONDAY: Juneteenth Bike Ride - Celebrating Black History & Heritage in Rockville

Join us as we celebrate Juneteenth with a bike tour of African-American history and heritage sites in Rockville. Our casual 8-mile loop route includes numerous interpretive stops -- and (if time allows) a delicious detour to a Caribbean ice cream shop!

RIDE DETAILS

Please note: This bicycling event is cross-posted with several meetup groups. (The guest count of the ride leader [Carl] reflects these additional attendees.) Please RSVP with only one group. Thank you!

Background: On June 19th, 1865, Union troops entered Texas, the final holdout of slavery following the end of the Civil War, and read an order officially enforcing the Emancipation Proclamation issued two and a half years earlier. The date (known as Juneteenth) has come to represent the end of slavery in the United States and an annual commemoration of African-American history, culture, and progress. In 2021, it became an official federal holiday when President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law.

Our Juneteenth ride will be a celebration of Black history and heritage in the Rockville area, highlighting the challenges and triumphs that African Americans have experienced from the pre-Civil War era to the present. The ride will begin at Rockville Civic Center Park (Glenview Mansion parking lot; 603 Edmonston Dr) at 10 am.

The route will be a beginner-friendly loop of about 8 miles, and will include approximately 8 to 10 historic sites, including Glenview Mansion, several locations in Lincoln Park, the Unity Bridge, the Carver School, a historic Black cemetery, and several sites in downtown Rockville. If time allows, we'll conclude our ride with a visit to York Castle, a Black-owned ice cream shop specializing in unique Caribbean flavors.

We hope you'll join us Monday! :)

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REQUIREMENTS/FINE PRINT

• Bicycling involves inherent risks and requires that participants be in proper physical condition. Your RSVP is your digital signature attesting that you have read, understood, and agreed to the group's Liability Waiver and Release, located here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BocKiaMJwba62c7b583CoOxIYamFiaWN/view?usp=sharing

• HELMETS ARE REQUIRED for all riders on every ride.

• We strongly recommend you bring a water bottle, spare tube, cell phone, ID card, and cash or credit card for emergencies.

• Although no one will be left behind, we ask that you and your bike be capable of maintaining at least a casual pace of 10 mph.

• Rain or an impending storm at the start time cancels a ride. Wet pavement typically does not. Please check the meetup site for last-minute updates.

• Those with a history of no-shows or frequent last-minute drops will be moved to "not going" for high-demand rides.

• Smiles are mandatory. We dare you not to have a great time! :)