Come celebrate cycling with us!
Bike/Walk Central Florida, CommuteOrlando and reThink want to promote cycling and roadway cooperation. We want cyclists to be expected and respected as a normal part of the traffic mix, as groups or as solo riders. As one part of our ongoing campaign, we’re organizing a monthly group ride during drive time. Here’s the plan:
- We will meet the First Friday of every month. We may create start locations in different areas. The first will meet at Loch Haven Park.
- We will ride in manageable-sized groups (8-14 riders) leaving from a central location and riding in ±10 mile loops. The number of groups/loops will depend on the number of riders who show up for the event.
- The rides are social. The pace is ~10mph.
- The groups will ride double-file, legally in the right lane of multi-lane roads and obey all traffic controls. The object is to make law-abiding bicycling visible. The motorists who encounter us will see us asserting our right to use the full lane and waiting at the red lights just like them. Same Roads, Same Rules, Same Rights.
A few ground rules:
- All riders must have a head light and tail light. The days are getting shorter.
- We will operate within a single lane, no more than 2-abreast.
- We will stop behind queued traffic and not filter forward.
- We will obey red lights. In the event there are stop signs on the route, we will stop, yield and proceed as a unit.
- We will not engage in hostility. It is rare for motorists to be hostile to our social groups, but in the event it happens, we will ignore or offer pleasantries in return. Let them have their bad karma all to themselves.
- Due to HB971, we will have to ride single file in bike lanes where present. We will try to plan routes to minimize exposure to bike lanes.
The first ride will be September 3 from Loch Haven Park at 6PM. Join us! Afterward, we’ll regroup for Happy Hour.
If you are interested in being a group leader, please let me know. You can comment here or send me a note via the contact form.
I think you have a typo. Surely you meant to say that we’ll regroup after the ride to celebrate Kitzzy’s birthday =P Hee hee. We’ll try our best to make as I don’t want to miss it, but we planned to go to Disney that day or possibly out of town. We’ll try to figure out asap and let you know.
Actually Kitzzy, I almost wrote that! But I wasn’t sure if you were going to be there. If you are we will definitely be celebrating your birthday!
Hee hee, yeah I figured. I think we will, I am just really indecisive about how I want to spend the day. I’ve spent it at Disney the past 2 years, so its not crucial that I do that again. I will be turning 32, so Jason and I may go bike 32 miles somewhere that morning
Maybe to Oviedo for brunch at Townhouse and back or maybe I should find a new restaurant that serves local, whole foods. We’ll see.
don’t set a precedent with a 32 mile ride when you’re 32 or you’ll set yourself up for failure when you’re 80!
I could just ride for 80 minutes instead
Last year I ran 3.1 miles, but 3.2 miles just seems silly lol Maybe I’ll run for 32 minutes.
Depending on the rider, she may be setting herself up for many years of enjoyable riding. I’ve only recently discovered that I can perform a century ride and I don’t think I’ll be on this planet quite that long, but who can tell?
I’ll be there, and may bring my girls if they are up for it.
Courtney created a facebook event for this as well. RSVP is nice, but not required.
Will each loop just go back to Lock Haven park to regroup with the others? Any idea what time that will be? I’ll probably only be able to do the ride and may need to head out early
Yes, if there are enough people for more than one loop, all come back to Loch Haven. I’d guess it will take about an hour from the time we get going.
I’m sad!! I wont get to come after all. We are leaving town for the weekend. I’ll look forward to next month. This is a great alternative to that other ride I used to go on…
I’m bummed you and the girls can’t make it. But have a great weekend! We’ll see you next month.
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