Northern Virginia Casual Bicycling Group (NoVA CBG)

Medium Level: The Koffee Klatch Ride: Spring into Eclarions

Thu, Mar 26 · 12:00 PM EDT

Bluemont Playground, 309 North Manchester Street, Arlington, VA, US

NOTE: DATE HAS BEEN CHANGED!!!!

Late Hello to SPRING!!!

THIS HAS A NEW START LOCATION AT THE SOUTH END OF BLUEMONT PARK

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The Ride: Summary
(Must Read)
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• RIDE NAME: The Koffee Klatch Ride: Spring into Eclarions
• START LOC: Bluemont Park Playground
• BEST ACCESS FROM RTE 50
• Start GPS: 38°52'07.6"N 77°07'55.7"W
  ARRIVAL: 12:00pm
• SPEECH: 12:10pm
• ROLLING: 12:15pm
• LEVEL: Medium
• DISTANCE: 19.6 mi
• PACE: 11-13 mph (Social Pace)
• TERRAIN: Trail / Street / Cycle path
• RIDEWITHGPS ROUTE:
  CBG_KOFFEEK_ECLARIONS_ALEX_2026
  https://ridewithgps.com/routes/54224094

Notes:
This ride incorporates two detours from the trails

• This ride is organized "lean" and may not have a sweep.
• Pump your tires on the morning of the ride, please.
• It is strongly suggested that you become a NoVA CBG RidewithGPS club member and download the route posted for each "Klatch".
• Loading the route onto your Garmin (or other Nav device) is also acceptable.
• NoVA CBG has a turn by turn RideWithGPS club account that's free. https://www.meetup.com/novacbg/events/271742916/

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The Ride: Detail
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Welcome to The Koffee Klatch! These rides are normally based off the Arlington Loop, where we visit different area coffee shops or bakeries for a cup and/or treat if desired but you don't have to drink or even like coffee to participate.

This week we will again do a loop to Old Town Alexandria to celebrate the arrival of Spring 2026!

The ride is a 19.6 mile medium level ridden at a social pace (11-13 mph). We will get on the W&OD from the Bluemont SOUTH Parking Area to the 4MRT at Shirlington, then the MVT and ride through Old Town and the Wilkes St tunnel to the new Eclarions. We will ride back to the starting point via Columbus St, Cameron St, up the Braddock-King/Potomac Yard Trail, over the Mt Jefferson Park Trail at Stewart St. When we get to Four Mile Run we will head though Arlandia on streets and Shirlington on the 4MRT to Carlin Springs Rd where we get back on the W&OD.

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The Meeting Spot:
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South Bluemont Parking
329 N Manchester St
Arlington, VA 22203
GPS: 38°52'07.6"N 77°07'55.7"W

We will meet in the parking lot.

• This location has Restrooms
• Next to the Playground and Disc Golf Course

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The Koffee Within The Ride:
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Eclarions
430 S Washington St
Alexandria, VA 22314

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Ride Level Chart
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NoVA CBG tries to accommodate all levels of cyclists by offering different types/levels of rides. We just ask that you come to the ride that suits your current riding ability the best.

• Introductory Level: If you haven't ridden a bike in a number of years (or are uncertain of your abilities on a bicycle).
• Beginner Level: You can ride for 10+ miles at a pace of 10+ to 12+ mph with potentially minor hills involved.
• Medium Level: You can ride for 20+ miles at a pace of 13+ to 15+ mph with potentially moderate hills involved.
• Advanced Level: You can ride for 20++ miles at a pace of 15+ mph with potentially major hills involved.

Both Medium and Advanced Levels might require handling various challenges such as reading cue sheets, using a Garmin or navigation app, night riding, out of town travel, or any other odd cycling situations.

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The Fine Print:
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An RSVP of 'YES' is your digital signature and means you have read and understood MEETUP.com's:

• "Terms of Service : Section 6. Release" found at https://www.meetup.com/terms/
• NOVA-CBG's "Assumption of Risk Agreement" found @ https://www.meetup.com/novacbg/pages/1942951/NOVA-CBG_Waiver/
• NoVA CBG's "COVID Policy" found @ http://bit.ly/2021_NoVACBG_COVID19_POLICY

Helmets are required to participate in all NOVA-CBG rides. All riders ride at their own risk and with the understanding that cycling is an inherently dangerous activity. When coming to the meetup you do so voluntarily and are ready and able to participate in the ride as described under the conditions of the day. Be on time for the "pre-ride" preparation. If you do not attend the pre-ride preparation you will not be allowed to participate on the ride. There are NO exceptions to the above.

Beginner Level: Cherry Blossom Ride (Tidal Basin) 2026

Sun, Mar 29 · 11:00 AM EDT

Shirlington Library, 4200 Campbell Avenue, Arlington, VA, US

NOTE: There is construction going on at the Tidal Basin (Tidal Basin Seawall Project) so while there still will be Cherry Blossoms, they will be more at the FDR/MLK area of the Tidal Basin (I think). I will recon this soon to get a better idea.

Put yourself on the waiting list if interested!! I will clear the waiting list as Organizers (Helpers) sign up for the ride.

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The Ride Summary:
(Must Read)
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• RIDE NAME: Cherry Blossom Ride 2026
• START LOC: Shirlington Library
• START GPS: https://goo.gl/maps/y1K7iBorEgsTWBpaA
• START PARKING: Any Parking Garage (Free on Weekends)
• ARRIVAL: 11:00 a.m.
• SPEECH: 11:15 a.m.
• ROLLING: 11:30 a.m.
• LEVEL: Beginner
• DISTANCE: 12 miles
• PACE: 12+ mph
• TERRAIN: Bike Trails (minor Streets)
• RIDEWITHGPS ROUTE:
  TBD

NOTES:

• 1 Hour (APPROX) wandering time at the Cherry Blossoms.
• Bring a bike lock.
• Bring a camera.
• Bring a snack.

National Park Service (NPS) Peak Bloom Estimate:
March 29th- April 1st
Capital Weather Gang (Washington Post):
April 3rd - April 7th
NBC StormTeam4:
March 30 - April 5
WUSA9:
April 2

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The Ride: Detail
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It's Back!!! Come join us for a leisurely ride to enjoy the 2026 Cherry Blossom season. The ride will begin at the Shirlington Library where we will take the 4 Mile Run Trail to connect to the Mt. Vernon Trail. We will then head north and make our first traditional "brief" regrouping stop at Gravelly Point (to see the planes take off or land). We will then continue north again and cross the 14th St. bridge (George Mason Bridge).

Depending on how the Tidal Basin Construction is going, we will either ride to the Jefferson Memorial and lock up our bikes, or we will head over to the FDR Memorial. This is To Be Determined (TBD).

Regardless, we will hang out for an hour (APPROX) which will give everyone time to walk around the cherry blossoms area and take pictures.

VERY IMPORTANT NOTES:

1. Bring a bike lock.
2. Bring a camera.
3. Bring a snack.

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The Bloom
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• http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/about/bloom-watch/
• https://www.nps.gov/subjects/cherryblossom/bloom-watch.htm
• https://cherryblossomwatch.com/

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The Meeting Spot:
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Shirlington Library
4200 Campbell Ave
Arlington, VA
GPS: https://goo.gl/maps/y1K7iBorEgsTWBpaA

We will meet in front of the Shirlington Library by the fountains. There is plenty of parking available in the parking garages (all free on the weekends).

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The Ride after the Ride:
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Damn Good Burger Co.
4251 Campbell Ave
Arlington, VA 22206

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Ride Level Chart
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NoVA CBG tries to accommodate all levels of cyclists by offering different types/levels of rides. We just ask that you come to the ride that suits your current riding ability the best.

• Introductory Level: If you haven't ridden a bike in a number of years (or are uncertain of your abilities on a bicycle).
• Beginner Level: You can ride for 10+ miles at a pace of 10+ to 12+ mph with potentially minor hills involved.
• Medium Level: You can ride for 20+ miles at a pace of 13+ to 15+ mph with potentially moderate hills involved.
• Advanced Level: You can ride for 20++ miles at a pace of 15+ mph with potentially major hills involved.

Both Medium and Advanced Levels might require handling various challenges such as reading cue sheets, using a Garmin or navigation app, night riding, out of town travel, or any other odd cycling situations.

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The Fine Print:
+++++++++++++++++++++
An RSVP of 'YES' is your digital signature and means you have read and understood MEETUP.com's:

• "Terms of Service : Section 6. Release" found at https://www.meetup.com/terms/
• NOVA-CBG's "Assumption of Risk Agreement" found @ https://www.meetup.com/novacbg/pages/1942951/NOVA-CBG_Waiver/
• NoVA CBG's "COVID Policy" found @ http://bit.ly/2021_NoVACBG_COVID19_POLICY

Helmets are required to participate in all NOVA-CBG rides. All riders ride at their own risk and with the understanding that cycling is an inherently dangerous activity. When coming to the meetup you do so voluntarily and are ready and able to participate in the ride as described under the conditions of the day. Be on time for the "pre-ride" preparation. If you do not attend the pre-ride preparation you will not be allowed to participate on the ride. There are NO exceptions to the above.

Medium Level: Koffee Klatch - anOTHER Cherry Blossom Ride 2026

Tue, Mar 31 · 10:00 AM EDT

Boat House At Fletcher's Cove, 4940 Canal Road, Washington D.C., DC, US

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The Ride Summary:
(Must Read)
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• RIDE NAME: anOTHER Cherry Blossom Koffee Klatch Ride 2025
• START LOC: Fletcher's Cove (Toilets available at the start)
• START GPS: https://maps.app.goo.gl/8N5tAQafLTTdd5oKA
• START PARKING: Parking lot across the Canal, ample parking.
• ARRIVAL: 10:00 a.m.
• SPEECH: 10:10 a.m.
• ROLLING: 10:15 a.m.
• LEVEL: Medium
• DISTANCE: 20.6 miles
• PACE: 11 to 13mph
• TERRAIN: Mostly Trail, Some Street, Hills.
• RIDEWITHGPS ROUTE: CBG_KOFFEEK_KENWOOD_2025
• https://ridewithgps.com/routes/50158708

NOTES:

• Bring a camera.

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The Ride: Detail
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For your riding pleasure NoVA CBG presents anOTHER Cherry Blossom Ride as a Koffee Klatch.

While the famous cherry blossoms are around the Tidal Basin and Hains Point, the crowds there are truly stunning, it just isn't practical to RIDE there. (Our Tidal Basin cherry blossom rides are ride to the site, park, and walk around). Lucky for us that there are other collections of blossoms around the area. One of the best is up in the Kenwood area of Bethesda. Kenwood hosts around 1200 trees that were planted in the 1930s and 40s.

The route is a loop starting at Fletcher's Cove uphill along the CCT to the cherry blossoms in Kenwood (mile 4) and coffee at Simona Cafe in Bethesda (mile 5.6. After coffee we ride through Chevy Chase and down to Beach Dr in Rock Creek Park and on to the Rock Creek Trail. We exit at P St over to 31st St and downhill to Water St and the CCT

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The Meeting Spot:
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Fletcher's Boathouse/Abner Cloud House (Toilets available at the start)
We will be in the parking lot across the canal
4863 Canal Rd NW
Washington, DC 20016
START GPS: https://maps.app.goo.gl/8N5tAQafLTTdd5oKA

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The Ride after the Ride:
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Is the Coffee Shop within the Ride [TBD]:
SIMONA CAFE
4520 East West Hwy
Bethesda, MD

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Ride Level Chart
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NoVA CBG tries to accommodate all levels of cyclists by offering different types of rides. We just ask that you come to the ride that suits your current riding ability the best.

• Introductory Level : If you haven't ridden a bike in a number of years (or are uncertain of your abilities on a bicycle).
• Beginner Level : You can easily ride your bike for 10 miles with some minor hills at a comfortable pace of 10+ to 12+ mph.
• Medium Level : You can do 20 miles pretty easily at a moderate pace of 13 to 15+ mph.
• Advanced Level : You can do 20++ miles easily at a 15+ pace and / or handle various challenges as rain, night riding, or other odd cycling situations.

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The Fine Print:
++++++++++++++++++++
An RSVP of 'YES' is your digital signature and means you have read and understood MEETUP.com's:

• "Terms of Service : Section 6. Release " found at https://www.meetup.com/terms/
• NOVA-CBG's "Assumption of Risk Agreement" found @ https://www.meetup.com/novacbg/pages/1942951/NOVA-CBG_Waiver/
• NoVA CBG's "COVID Policy" found @ http://bit.ly/2021_NoVACBG_COVID19_POLICY

Helmets are required to participate in all NOVA-CBG rides. NO exceptions. All riders ride at their own risk and with the understanding that cycling is an inherently dangerous activity. When coming to the meetup you do so voluntarily and are ready and able to participate in the ride as described under the conditions of the day.
Be on time for the "pre-ride" preparation. If you do not attend the pre-ride preparation you will not be allowed to participate on the ride. Again, no exceptions.

NoVA CBG Zwifters: Wintering in Watopia (04/01) - April Fools: TBD

Wed, Apr 1 · 6:15 PM EDT

·

Online

Online

APRIL FOOLS!!!!

Here is last year's Zwift April Fools: https://zwiftinsider.com/april-fools-2025/

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Tonight's Zwift Ride:
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• WATOPIA ROUTE: TBD
• ROUTE LINK: TBD
• ROUTE DETAILS: TBD
• CLUB DISCORD LINK: TBD
• RIDE TIME: One Hour

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The Ride: Summary
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• NAME: NoVA CBG Zwifters: Wintering in Watopia (Mon's & Wed's)
• WATOPIA ARRIVAL: 6:15 PM
• WATOPIA ROLLING: 6:30 PM
• WATOPIA ENDING: 7:30 PM (one hour duration)
• START LOCATION: Auto Placement in the Zwift route
• LEVEL: Introductory (ride as much or as little as you want).
• DISTANCE: Your distance will vary.
• PACE: "Keep Together" feature in Zwift. (pedal at your own pace).
• TERRAIN: Smart trainers will adjust resistance for terrain, dumb trainers will not.

ADDITIONAL INFO:

• You have to keep pedaling your bicycle for the "Keep Together" feature to keep you with everyone else.
• You don't have to pedal fast, but you must pedal.
• Coffee breaks are when you can stop pedaling.
• You need to join the "NoVA CBG Zwift Riders" club on Zwift (see link below or search for the club on your Zwift Companion App).

https://www.zwift.com/clubs/e4780b0c-7dc8-4a21-8954-cf34b0326103/home

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ZWIFT Details
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See this link: https://www.meetup.com/novacbg/events/312781138/