The 2018 Cider Ride is over! Thank you to everyone who came out to support WABA. You can read more about the ride here. The 2019 Cider Ride will take place on November 2nd—registration will open in September 2019.

Saturday, November 3rd, 2018 | Rain or Shine

Register now

The Cider Ride is a celebration of the beautiful bicycling in our region and the season that makes the ride that much more enjoyable. Smooth trails, quiet roads, crisp fall colors, hot cider, and donuts make this early November ride one to remember. Riders can choose from 10, 30, and 50 mile routes that highlight bicycling treasures of Prince George’s County: the wonderful trail system along the Anacostia River and its tributaries, rolling hills in the Beltsville agricultural reserve, the Patuxent Wildlife Refuge, and Greenbelt. Riders from all over the region turn out en masse for a wonderful ride and post-ride music and cheer.

Volunteer | Marshal | Merchandise

Honeycrisp Route: 50 miles. This loop takes riders from Northeast DC to Maryland’s Anacostia Tributary Trails through Hyattsville and College Park, then guides you into rolling hills and country roads, parklands, and wildlife refuges in Prince George’s county, including Beltsville agricultural lands, the Patuxent Research Refuge, and Greenbelt.

McIntosh Route: 30 miles. This loop takes riders from Northeast DC to Maryland’s Anacostia Tributary Trails through Hyattsville and College Park, then winds its way back to DC.

Candy Apple Route: 10 miles. This family-friendly loop ride meanders along neighborhood streets in Northeast DC and onto trails in Cottage City. It is mostly flat riding with a few short hills.

As one of WABA’s fundraising rides, the Cider Ride helps further WABA’s mission and impact. Registering supports WABA’s advocacy, education, and outreach work that makes bicycling more safe, fun, and accessible around the region.

Ride Information Note: all locations and times are not final and are subject to change. Check-In Dance Place |3225 8th Street NE, Washington, DC 20017 We’ll have some light breakfast treats available to start the day! Honeycrisp Route (±50 miles) Check in: Dance Place, 8:30am – 9:30am

Dance Place, 8:30am – 9:30am Rolling start: Dance Place, 9:00am – 9:30am

Dance Place, 9:00am – 9:30am Pit Stop: Proteus Bikes, open 9:30am – 1:30pm

Proteus Bikes, open 9:30am – 1:30pm Pit Stop: Buddy Attick Lake Park, open 10:00am – 2:30pm

Buddy Attick Lake Park, open 10:00am – 2:30pm Celebration: Dew Drop Inn, open 12:00pm – 5:00pm McIntosh Route (±30 miles) Check in: Dance Place, 9:30am – 10:30am

Dance Place, 9:30am – 10:30am Rolling start: Dance Place, 10:00am – 10:30am

Dance Place, 10:00am – 10:30am Pit Stop: Proteus Bikes, open 9:30am – 1:30pm

Proteus Bikes, open 9:30am – 1:30pm Celebration: Dew Drop Inn, open 12:00pm – 5:00pm Candy Apple Route (±10 miles) Check in: Dance Place, 10:30am – 11:00am

Dance Place, 10:30am – 11:00am Group Start: Dance Place, 11:00am

Dance Place, 11:00am Pit Stop: Colmar Manor Community Park, 11:15am – 12:15pm

Colmar Manor Community Park, 11:15am – 12:15pm Celebration: Dew Drop Inn, open 12:00pm – 5:00pm Will there be food? Where are the cue sheets? Read our FAQs below for all the details! The Cider Ride will take place rain or shine. There will be no refunds, exchanges or transfers for this event, even in the event of inclement weather. What are you waiting for? Register now. You must be a current, dues-paying WABA member to participate in this ride. Each WABA member is allowed one guest only. You can pay dues with your registration below or at waba.org/join!

Presented by EYA We would like to thank EYA for their generous title sponsorship of this year’s Cider Ride. EYA is a leading voice in the smart growth movement around active lifestyle, and shares overlapping values with WABA. EYA. Life within walking distance. (And biking, too!)

The Cider Ride FAQ

Welcome to the Cider Ride Frequently Asked Questions page. If you’re looking to register for the ride, click here.

Register now

What’s the Trolley Trail Fund? The Rhode Island Ave Trolley Trail is a terrific, but incomplete, off-street trail that connects College Park to Hyattsville. Just a few blocks off Route 1, it’s a comfortable and direct alternative to the stressful highway. But once it reaches Hyattsville, the trail stops, dropping riders into the very street they wanted to avoid. Just half a mile to the south, two regional trails meet, offering links to Wheaton, Beltsville and DC. That half-mile trail gap is an obvious missing link in our regional trail network and a critical opportunity to connect the Route 1 communities. Our campaign to finish the Trolley Trial is lining up the public and political support to get it done. We need your donation to support this campaign through to the finish line. Trail projects, even obvious gaps like the Trolley Trail, must clear dozens of steps to get from a line on a map to a ribbon-cutting. Organizing supporters, committing decision makers, and defending against design compromises take constant vigilance. With your financial investment, we will close this trail gap together.

Am I registered for the Cider Ride? All registrants receive a confirmation email after they complete registration online, but guests of registrants do not. If you personally registered but have not received a confirmation, please check your spam, then email events@waba.org to confirm your registration. If you are someone’s guest, please ask them to forward you the confirmation email, and all subsequent communications, as they contain important information. Register now Is this a supported ride? The Cider Ride is an unsupported ride. You will need to follow a paper cue sheet and there is no SAG vehicle. If there is a medical emergency, call 911. Ride marshals will be on the ride to assist with minor repairs, and WABA staff will be on-call to respond as we’re able. Ensure that you have a loaded Smartcard, cab fare, charged phone, and/or a friend or family member who can pick you up in case you cannot complete the ride. Is there a cutoff time for riding? Since this is an unsupported ride, we will not cut you off. However, the pit stops have closing times (see above). If you like to take rides more slowly, we suggest showing up at the beginning of check-in so that you have the maximum amount of time to ride. How long do I have to ride to reach a pit stop? The Honeycrisp Route (±50 miles) pit stops are at approximately miles 12 and 31. The McIntosh Route (±30 miles) pit stop is at approximately mile 12. The Candy Apple Route (±10 miles) pit stop is at approximately mile 6. Will roads be closed to cars during the ride? No. You will be riding on roads with other vehicles during this ride. Don’t feel confident riding next to cars? Look into our City Cycling classes to increase your comfort level! (They’re free for WABA members!) Will I get a refund if it’s raining? No. The Cider Ride is a rain or shine event! Is the Cider Ride a fundraiser? Yes! Signature events, like the Cider Ride, are the only rides we hold for WABA members that cost money. All proceeds from this event benefit WABA and the work that we do to make bicycling safer and more fun in the region. Don’t know much about our work? Read about our advocacy, education, and outreach work. Can I apply for a scholarship for this ride? Through our Free Ride Fund we provide free rides to community members who could otherwise not participate. This is one way that WABA is making sure that bicycling in the DC region is accessible to everyone. If you want a free ride, or, if you want to donate to the Free Ride Fund but already registered, contact Cyrus Chimento at events@waba.org. Are children allowed on this ride? Yes, as long as they are accompanied by an adult! Anyone ages 12 and under can ride for free, accompanied by an adult. The accompanying adult must be present at check-in and give the names of the youth riding with them. Children 13 and older must be registered independently. Will you feed me? Riders receive snacks and water at all the pit stops. The Proteus Bikes Pit Stop will have cider and donuts, the Buddy Attick Lake Pit Stop will have cider and pie, and the Colmar Manor Community Park Pit Stop will have a bit of each! If you want additional snacks or meals, please plan to pack or buy them along the route. Food and drink options at local businesses along the route will be plentiful—feel free to make your own pit stops! Please note: we do not provide bottled water. You must bring your own water bottles. Restrooms are available at each pit stop. Where are the cue sheets? Riders will receive access to online files of the route the week leading up to the event, and a paper cue sheet at check-in. Part of the fun and appeal of WABA rides are that the routes are not released in advance. It’s an adventure! Do I have to stop at stop signs? Yes. We can’t control what you do on the roads, but, through participating in a WABA ride, you are setting an example for bicyclists. We ask you to please ride safely, respectfully, and lawfully to maximize safety for all the ride participants and other trail users. Stop at all red lights and stop signs. Always yield to pedestrians. Use hand signals when turning. Communicate verbally with other riders. Do not ride more than two abreast, and do not take up more than one lane of travel. When riding on sidewalks, trails, or paths, be cautious when passing other trail users and slow down. How do I ride in the city? To get familiar with riding in the city, take a WABA City Cycling class (free for WABA members)! You can also find video tutorials on city cycling on the League of American Bicyclists’ website. Do I have to wear a helmet? Yes. WABA’s insurance requires it. This is standard for organized rides across the country. Learn how to properly fit your helmet here. Is the route signed? No, but we do our best to make the cue sheet clear and comprehensive. We know that some of the trails have some tricky turns, so be prepared for those. If you get lost, you can check the map, google it, or hang out for a few minutes and see if you can connect with a rider or marshal who is familiar with the area. I already registered but want to go back and register a guest. How do I do that? Please email events@waba.org or call 202-518-0524 x218. Or, you could ask your guest if they want to register and purchase their own WABA membership:look at all the benefits! Can I take shortcuts? Of course! There are many places throughout the ride where you can skip a few miles if you’re tired. Furthermore, there’s no shame in bailing out early. You should do however much of the ride you feel good about—don’t push yourself to ride until you’re not having fun. Can I change which route I signed up for? Yes! Just show up at the correct start time for the route you’d like to ride. You can decide to ride any of our available routes! Will there be marshals? There will be ride marshals. They will be wearing vests with numbers on them. Marshals are WABA volunteers that are the first line of response in incidents that involve ride participants and be an avenue of communication between ride participants and WABA staff members. They are as new to the route as you are, so don’t treat them as ride leaders: read your cue sheets! The numbers on their vests allow you to identify them: if you see a great marshal, be sure to tell us in the post-ride survey! Should I bring a lock? Yes. You may want to stop for more food along the ride, or spend time lounging once you get Dew Drop Inn, so you should plan to lock your bike up. (You can leave your lock with us when you check in, too, if you don’t want to ride with it, and we’ll bring it to the post-ride celebration.) Don’t know the best ways to lock up? Check out thishandy guide on preventing bicycle theft! How do I get there? The start location, Dance Place, is in the Brookland neighborhood of DC. It is accessible by bike from the Metropolitan Branch Trail and surrounding neighborhoods. If arriving by public transit, the closest metro station is Brookland-CUA on the Red Line (bikes are allowed on Metro all day on weekends). There are also several bus lines that go through Brookland, all of which have bike racks on the front. If you plan to arrive by car, there may be limited on-street parking available in the Edgewood and Brookland neighborhoods near the start, but double check any street parking restrictions. There is also a pay-to-park garage located close by on 7th St (Cornerstone Public Parking at 7th and Monroe St NE) and at theWMATA Rhode Island Avenue Metro Station Parking Garage. How many people will do the Cider Ride? We typically sell out our rides at 700 registrants. Do I need to register separately if I plan to ride a tandem bike with someone? Yes. All adult individuals must be registered. When is the next WABA signature ride? The next ride is a surprise! Spring 2018 was the the Last Vasa Ride, so we’ll be debuting something new in 2019. Got another question? Send us an email at events@waba.org or give us a call at (202) 518-0524 x218. Title sponsor: Celebration Sponsor: With additional support from: