Bikers

We will have open shop hours for anyone to bring their bikes to work on or need help fixing your own bike. We will also have bikes that need to be fixed so you can learn if you like. We will need everyone to sign in when arriving and sign out when leaving so we can keep track of volunteer hours and shop times. Suggested donation of $15 per hour for use of tools and space would be appreciated. Thank you!

Come volunteer with us refurbishing donated bicycles so that they can be used again by the community! This event is open to both new and existing volunteers. No mechanical experience is necessary. Note: The warehouse location is in the alley behind 1502 Mt Vernon Ave. Enter through the gray door next to a roll-down garage door. If you drive to the location, be sure to park in the street, not in the alleys or parking lots surrounding the warehouse. And wear clothes you don't mind getting dirty with bicycle grease! Please be aware that volunteers under 18 need a parent or guardian to accompany them to their first volunteer experience and sign a liability waiver, while volunteers under 16 need a parent or guardian to accompany them at all times while volunteering with Vélocity.

**CHILL N CHESS/CHECKERS** Come play!! Classic, clock, social. From novice to grandmaster. We play both chess and [American Pool Checkers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Pool_Checkers) (not your kindergarten checkers!). Come chill with us, get your mind in the game. We offer Blunder Support Groups ;) ‍♂️ **How’s your week?** Did you hang a queen? Fork yourself? Promote to *rook* instead of queen? > **Don’t worry—we’ve all been there.** > (Literally. We meet weekly. Bring snacks.) **Parking/transit:** Street parking. Also there are private parking lots in Adams Morgan. For public transportation: Five city blocks away from Columbia Heights Metro stop. Same block for bus stops: D60 and D6X on 16th St. A 7 minute walk from the C51 bus stop and same block for D72 bus stops on Columbia. We limit spots to 10 players on meetup in order to maintain space for everyone -our regulars and players from other signups

Brisk 3- to 4-mile urban hike starting and ending at Red Bear Brewing Company across from NoMa metro. We will hike the Metropolitan Trail to the Basilica, then return to Red Bear for drinks and food.

We are Metro Voices, the treble chorus associated with the Alexandria A Cappella Collective (The Collective). On Tuesday, March 17th from 7-9pm we will be rehearsing at the Fairlington Presbyterian Church at 3846 King St, Alexandria, VA 22302. Please visit and sing with us or just listen to our rehearsal...we love guests. We rehearse at the same time and place as The Harmonizers, the lower voiced chorus associated with The Collective who also welcome all guests. Here's an article about our success in a barbershop style convention. https://www.alxnow.com/2025/03/27/notes-alexandria-singers-win-top-honors-at-regional-contest/ Hope to see you soon.

Ted's Birthday Happy Hour @ Samuel Beckett's [Friday 03/20 @ 7pm] Please RSVP as soon as possible so I can make the appropriate reservation. Samuel Beckett's 2800 S Randolph St #110 Arlington, VA 22206 GPS: [https://goo.gl/maps/rHx2PvqFicpFRrDZ8](https://goo.gl/maps/rHx2PvqFicpFRrDZ8)

Weekly Saturday group ride, starting at Handy Bikes Retail Showroom. Come ride with locals in the area! This group ride is for average folks who want to go for an average ride. It's not quite a coffee ride, but it's definitely not a race! Routes will vary around the area, with an average speed around 14 mph (minimum of \~10 MPH) for around 15-30 miles. We'll be on pavement so bikes with smooth tires are encouraged, **helmets are mandatory**. Open to any riders who are willing and able to ride with a group including Class 1, 2, and 3 e-bikes. No speed demons please! Good group ride etiquette is a requirement. Shop opens at 10:00 am Show up and sign in by 10:15 am Roll out 10:30 am Please RSVP in advance, so that the ride leaders can prepare for the group's size. [Handy Bikes on Strava](https://www.strava.com/clubs/737920/leaderboard) [Handy Bikes on RideWithGPS](https://ridewithgps.com/organizations/14675-handy-bikes)

Check out and REGISTER for Velocity Bicycle Cooperative's monthly Basic Bike Maintenance class [here](https://velocitycoop.org/events/bike-maintenance-class-2/)! You MUST REGISTER through Velocity's website to confirm and save your seat! Please only click "Attend" on this meetup page AFTER you have officially registered for the class via this link: https://velocitycoop.org/events/bike-maintenance-class-2/ (This class has a suggested donation of $50 to support our non-profit organization. The donation is paid through Velocity's website when you register for the class on Velocity's website. No payment is collected through MeetUp.)

**\*\*Check back to see if the date or start time has changed. This ride will be postponed (possibly replaced with another ride) if the chance of rain is above 49%, or wind speed or wind gusts are above 15 mph (per Accuweather) \*\*** **SKILL LEVEL** All levels will enjoy this ride. It is mostly flat until we get closer to Bladensburg Waterfront Park where we encounter a couple of inclines. **METRO OPTION** Greenbelt Metro Station **PARKING AND MEETING SPOT** Home Depot, College Park, parking lot. Park after the storage sheds against the brick boundary wall. (The trail parking lot is too small and has no bathrooms.) Plan to arrive by 9:45 so you have time to prepare and do a test ride. After check-in at 10, we will do an icebreaker question then ride over to the trailhead. This involves one traffic light crossing and biking a short distance on a sidewalk. **ROUTE DETAILS** The organizers will stop every two miles to regroup so slower riders can catch up and we stop at intersections that could be confusing. Faster riders may wish to meet us at a designated regroup point. **Paint Branch Trail** begins on Cherry Hill Rd. It goes south to the UMD campus. It is one of the flatter trails and also has several shady segments making it suitable for summer biking. We will regroup at the T-junction before the route 1 tunnel. After reaching UMD, we will connect to the **Lake Artemesia Trail**, which takes us to the scenic Lake Artemesia. Regroup at the bathrooms in the middle. After biking around the lake, we'll get on the **NE Branch Trail** and make a quick stop at the College Park airport/College Park Aviation Museum - the longest operating airport in the world and where Wilbur Wright trained the first aviators. We'll take the NE Branch Trail down to Bladensburg Waterfront Park. (Water station and bathroom stop). We'll regroup before crossing the bridge and then at the park by the caboose. We'll return on NE Branch Trail and regroup before we make a left on **Rachel Carson Greenway Trail** (a short sidewalk on Charles Armentrout Dr) to the Route 1 light. Turn right onto **Rhode Island Ave Trail.** Take RI Ave Trail north until College Park Community Center. Turn right onto Paint Branch Trail and go back to the start. **DISTANCE OPTIONS** Participants are welcome to turn back at any point. The below are just suggestions. Option A Bike 3 miles up to UMD campus and return. Option B Bike 5 miles to and around Lake Artemesia and return **Option C** Bike \~9 miles down to Bladensburg Waterfront Park and back to the starting point [The organizers plan to do this]. Option D Bike additional miles by continuing on Paint Branch Trail going north for additional 6 miles. **BATHROOMS** Home Depot UMD campus Lake Artemesia Bladensburg Park Riverdale Center **BIKE RENTALS** NA **BIKE REPAIR** Proteus Bike Shop (North end of the Trolley Trail) **RECOMMENDATIONS** **Bring:** Water bottles, snacks, bike bell, bike lock, helmet visor, sunglasses, bike tube, pump, patch, first aid kit, mobile phone with nav app installed (e.g. Google maps, we use RidewithGPS). If you get leg cramps during or after a ride, take electrolytes before and during your ride (or add salt and magnesium to your water). A change of clothes for your ride home or a car seat cover to absorb sweat. **Clothing:** Wear biking gloves and durable clothing so that if you do fall, your skin is protected. Avoid wearing all black, all dark grey, all dark brown, or all dark blue, which blends in with pavement, especially while riding through a shady segment. Consider wearing something light to help others notice you. **REQUIREMENTS** **Be proactive to avoid a fall/crash and minimize injury:** · Keep a distance between yourself and other bikers. If the biker ahead of you suddenly stops, you should be able to avoid hitting them. · Don’t make stops on the trail. Pull over to the side and use hand gestures to let people know you’re slowing down to make a stop. · Yelling out “Passing on your left” and/or ringing a bike bell as you approach people ahead of you, so they don’t inadvertently move in your line of travel. · Slow down to wait, rather than speeding up when trying to pass people at the same time walkers/bikers are approaching you from the opposite direction. · Avoid potholes and debris and slow down when approaching bumps · When approaching road crossings and iffy situations, triple-check before crossing and don’t let yourself be distracted by talking, etc. · Ensure your helmet is tightly secured so that it won’t move if you hit the ground. **MEETUP POLICIES** Participants should understand that biking is an inherently dangerous activity, and an accident could happen at any time. **Participation is at your own risk**. An RSVP of “Yes” to an event is your digital signature acknowledging that you have read, understood, and agree with Meetup’s and MD Rail Trail Biking’s policies,

Meet in the parking lot of the Handy Bikes Service Center. At the start of each ride, we'll go over introductions to have a sense of participants' cycling experience. Over the course of our rides, we'll address the following: group riding dynamics; safety (ABC check & trail hazards); gear shifting; hill climbing; audible and hand communication within the group, with other trail users, and automobile drivers; what to bring on each ride; etc... Bring your questions, water & a snack. When it starts getting dark earlier, we'll need lights as well. Helmets a MUST. If you can, and especially if you've had issues with your bike, come a bit early to have it looked at ahead of the ride. PS - all levels are welcome to join, however, be mindful that if you are an experienced rider, please be prepared to ride at the pace of the newest rider in the group. Each week, depending on who's in attendance, and participants' riding ability/comfort level, we may do skills practice as a group in the parking lot or at the west end of Wheeler Ave. Once everyone is comfortable, we'll go for a ride on local trails and neighborhood streets and finish back at the shop. Happy Pedaling !! \~Maya

Meet in the Maple Grove Picnic area. If trail conditions are poor, we will use the Multipurpose Path.

Hi ladies. We will meet in front of the Nature Center and head to the two Observation decks. We will then hike Hickory Ridge, Ripple Rock, Overlook and Sugarbush trails to get approximately four miles total distance. We will walk approximately a 18 minute mile pace. Please wear appropriate hiking shoes.