December 2022: Holiday Lights Ride! Sat 12/17 Meet Lyon Park 5pm

Happy Holidays!

Let's make the season BRIGHT with a ride around to gawk at lights, with a hearty dose of hot chocolate & cookies to bribe encourage the kiddos to brave the chill.  With any luck, our own Kidical Mass Arl Santa will make a appearance ;-)

We'll meet at Lyon Park (the park), then take the Secret Trail and neighborhood streets to wind around the neighborhoods of Lyon Park, Penrose & Ashton Heights to hit some great houses (if you know of any houses that are near the route that we're missing, please DM us on Twitter or Facebook). We'll end at the "Singing Tree" in Ballston.  Our family will then head to Quincy Hall for dinner, and invite our Kidical Mass friends to join us.  The route is all trails & neighborhood streets, crossing major streets at lights.

The ride will be at dusk/night. Remember to bring lights! The more lights the better!

It will be chilly. Remember to dress warmly! The more warmly the better! (Ok, maybe not, but for kids, more layers are better - we can stop to let people take off layers if necessary. Gloves and a hat or headband to cover ears are STRONGLY recommended.)

Everyone is welcome on the ride, and we will go as slow as our slowest rider. The ride is best suited for elementary-aged kids and those who are happy to go at a very casual pace.  It's helpful to remind competitive kids that this is not a race.

RSVPing to our Facebook event will help us know how much hot chocolate to bring!

When: Saturday, December 17, 2022

Meet: 5pm (roll out 5:15pm) Lyon Park (the park)  N Fillmore Street & 4th Street N

Parking: Neighborhood streets 

Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/41596631

End: Singing Tree in Ballston (Welburn Square) N Stuart Street & 9th Street N

November 2022: Ride to the Ride for Your Life - 11/19 10am LBJ Grove (Pentagon Side)

 

Too many people have been killed riding bicycles on our streets. On August 25, Sarah Langenkamp, a mother, U.S. diplomat, who loved biking, was killed in Bethesda. In her honor memory, her husband, Dan Langenkamp, is working with Trek to organize a ride to Congress to demand funding and legislation to keep us safe.

The main Trek-led ride will start in Bethesda, then join a family ride starting at Freedom Plaza.

Kidical Mass Arlington will meet near the Pentagon (in the parking lot for LBJ Park, on the Pentagon side) and bike into DC using the 14th Street Bridge and the new cycletracks connecting to Freedom Plaza.

We'll meet at 10am and roll out at 10:15am to join the main ride by 11am. Then we'll join the main ride to Congress for the rally at 11:30am. Please register for free here.

It will be cold; dress appropriately.

When: Saturday, November 19, 2022

Meet: 10:00am - LBJ Park Parking Lot (Pentagon side, NOT off the GW Parkway)

Parking: In the parking lot

Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/41441395

October 2022: HALLOWEEN RIDE Sunday 10/30 4pm Zitkala-Sa Park to TREK

It's baaaaack! 

It's time again for the Kidical Mass Arlington Halloween ride: time to put on your costume, ride bikes and prepare to eat copious amounts of candy!  Like last year, we're partnering up with Trek Bikes to celebrate! 

We'll meet at Zitkala-Sa Park, where families can come early to enjoy the super fun playground. Then we will bike off through the spooky parts of Ashton Heights, Lyon Park, and Lyon Village, enjoying some of Arlington's finest Halloween decorations! Finally, we'll roll to Trek's Clarendon store on Wilson Boulevard, where we've been invited over for a pizza party! This family-friendly bike shop has invited us in to enjoy some pizza and drinks, and of course to visit their great shop! Thanks Trek, we can't wait! 

If you could respond to the Facebook event so we know numbers, that'd be great! 

When: Sunday, October 30, 2022

Meet: 4:00pm - Zitkala-Sa Park - North Highland Street and 7th Street North (roll out 4:15pm)

Parking: Neighborhood streets

Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/41327901 

 

Escuela Key Bicibus: Questions and Answers -- Preguntas y respuestas

Welcome to the	¡Bienvenidos a la
Escuela Key Bicibús!
Here are answers to common questions about the bicibús! If you have more questions, please reach out to Gillian Burgess (via WhatsApp or at gmail.com). I added the Spanish with Google Translate, so please let me know if there are mistakes.	¡Aquí hay respuestas a preguntas comunes sobre el bicibús! Si tiene más preguntas, comuníquese con Gillian Burgess (a través de WhatsApp o en gmail.com). Agregué el español con Google Translate, así que avíseme si hay errores.
What is a bicibús?  ·         It is a group of students biking to school together (last year we called it the bike train).  Biking together makes the trips safer and more fun. We will always have at least 2 adults biking with the kids.	¿Qué es un bicibús? ·         Es un grupo de estudiantes que van juntos en bicicleta a la escuela (el año pasado lo llamamos el tren de bicicletas). Andar en bicicleta juntos hace que los viajes sean más seguros y divertidos. Siempre tendremos al menos 2 adultos en bicicleta con los niños.
How can my student join the bicibús?  ·         Your student needs to meet the bicibús at one of the “stops” at the appointed time. If an adult is not coming with your student, please write down your name and contact number and give it to the leader of the bicibús, so we can get in touch if there are any issues. You are sending your student at your own risk.	¿Cómo puede mi alumno incorporarse al bicibús? ·         Su estudiante debe encontrarse con el bicibús en una de las “paradas” a la hora señalada. Si un adulto no viene con su estudiante, anote su nombre y número de contacto y déselo al líder del bicibús, para que podamos comunicarnos si hay algún problema. ·         Usted está enviando a su estudiante bajo su propio riesgo.
When is the bicibús, what is the route and what are the “stops”?  ·         The bicibús will ride FRIDAYS leaving at Ø  8:15a from Courthouse plaza (southwest corner of Clarendon Blvd & Veitch) & Ø  8:30a from W-L HS (corner of Stafford St & Washington Blvd). ·         We'll ride past Innovation ES, up Key Blvd, then along 13th St to W-L, using the wide sidewalks along Quincy and Washington Blvd. From there we'll take Stafford, to 11th St, to Wakefield St to the Bluemont Trail, then zig zag over to George Mason. We will ride the last block on George Mason and enter Key’s parking lot. ·         Note there is a small hill on Highland and a bigger hill on 13th.	¿Cuándo sale el bicibús, cuál es el recorrido y cuáles son las “paradas”? ·         El bicibús circulará los VIERNES saliendo a las Ø  8:15a desde Courthouse plaza (esquina suroeste de Clarendon Blvd y Veitch) y Ø  8:30a desde W-L HS (esquina de Stafford St y Washington Blvd). ·         Pasaremos por Innovation ES, subiremos por Key Blvd, luego por 13th St hasta W-L, usando las aceras anchas a lo largo de Quincy y Washington Blvd. Desde allí, tomaremos Stafford, 11th St, Wakefield St hasta Bluemont Trail, luego zigzaguearemos hasta George Mason. Recorreremos la última cuadra en George Mason y entraremos al estacionamiento de Key. ·         Tenga en cuenta que hay una pequeña colina en Highland y una colina más grande en 13th.
Who can come on the bicibús?   ·         The bicibús is open to everyone.	¿Quién puede venir en el bicibús?   ·         El bicibús está abierto a todo el mundo.
Can adults come too? ·         Yes! You’re not required to send an adult with your student, but you’re welcome to come along! ·         If you’d like to volunteer as a leader (whether you have kids or not), please contact Gillian.	¿Pueden venir adultos también? ·         ¡Si! No es necesario que envíe a un adulto con su estudiante, ¡pero puede acompañarlo! ·         Si desea ser voluntario como líder (ya sea que tenga hijos o no), comuníquese con Gillian.
What happens to my student’s bike after they get to school?  ·         Students can lock up their bikes at one of Key’s many bike racks. Families are responsible for getting the bikes home after the bicibús. Some adults meet their student after school or extended day and ride home. Some adults pick up their student and the bike in a car after school or extended day. ·         If you need help getting your student’s bike back to W-L High School, please contact Gillian.	¿Qué sucede con la bicicleta de mi estudiante después de que llega a la escuela? ·         Los estudiantes pueden guardar sus bicicletas bajo llave en uno de los muchos estacionamientos para bicicletas de Key. Las familias son las encargadas de llevar las bicicletas a casa después del bicibús. Algunos adultos se encuentran con su estudiante después de la escuela o durante un día extendido y lo llevan a casa. Algunos adultos recogen a su estudiante y la bicicleta en un automóvil después de la escuela o durante un día prolongado. ·         Si necesita ayuda para devolver la bicicleta de su estudiante a la escuela secundaria W-L, comuníquese con Gillian.
What does my student need to bring on the bicibús?  ·         Students need to be on a bike (no scooters, no training wheels) and wear a helmet (Virginia law for those under 14).  They’ll need a lock if they’re going to lock up at school.  It’s also smart to dress for the weather.	·         ¿Qué necesita llevar mi alumno en el bicibús? ·         • Los estudiantes deben andar en bicicleta (no scooters, no ruedas de entrenamiento) y usar casco (ley de Virginia para menores de 14 años). Necesitarán un candado si van a encerrarse en la escuela. También es inteligente vestirse para el clima.
How do students carry their backpacks? ·         Many students wear their backpacks while they ride. There will always be at least one cargo bike on the ride, and students are welcome to put their backpacks in the cargo bike at any stop.	¿Cómo llevan los estudiantes sus mochilas? ·         Muchos estudiantes usan sus mochilas mientras viajan. Siempre habrá al menos una bicicleta de carga en el paseo, y los estudiantes pueden poner sus mochilas en la bicicleta de carga en cualquier parada.
Why not just take the Custis Trail from Courthouse to Harrison St near Escuela Key?    ·         The Bicibus doesn't take the Custis Trail because it has some bigger hills that make it hard to keep a group together. But taking the Custis to Harrison St is a great route to Escuela Key, if you're thinking of biking.	¿Por qué no simplemente tomar el Custis Trail desde Courthouse hasta Harrison St cerca de Escuela Key? ·           ·         El Bicibus no toma el Camino Custis porque tiene algunas cuestas más grandes que dificultan mantener un grupo unido. Pero tomar el Custis a Harrison St es una gran ruta a Escuela Key, si está pensando en andar en bicicleta.
Any advice on buying a bike? ·         If you're looking to buy a bike, I highly recommend starting at Phoenix Bikes. They sell used bikes and teach kids how to fix bikes. They have a earn-a-bike program for kids 12 & older. ·         For adults, you can also try out Capital Bikeshare - DM me if you'd like information about discounted memberships.	¿Algún consejo para comprar una bicicleta?   ·         Si está buscando comprar una bicicleta, le recomiendo comenzar en Phoenix Bikes. Venden bicicletas usadas y les enseñan a los niños cómo arreglar bicicletas. Tienen un programa para ganar una bicicleta para niños mayores de 12 años. ·         Para adultos, también puede probar Capital Bikeshare: envíeme un mensaje privado si desea obtener información sobre membresías con descuento.

 

 

 

 

 

Sept 2022: Back to School Bike Fair Fun! 9/10/22 noon Barrett Elementary

Happy New School Year! 

It's time to tune up those bikes and get ready to bike to school.  Kidical Mass Arlington is teaming up with BikeArlington, Phoenix Bikes, Trek Bikes and the new-to-Arlington Girls in Gear to bring you the Back to School Bike Fair on Saturday, September 10, 2022 at Barrett Elementary.

We will ride from the fair, meeting at noon (leaving at 12:15pm, because we know what it's like to corral kids). We'll explore some of the routes around Ashton Heights, Buckingham & Arlington Forest, returning to Barrett. The route will use lights to cross all major streets and will run on protected bike lanes and neighborhood street, with a short stretch on the part of Pershing that's a little busier. We'll hit parts of routes connecting to Barrett, Long Branch, Escuela Key, ASFS, Jefferson MS, Kenmore MS, Washington-Liberty HS and more!  

There will be more fun at the fair. Throughout the day, the experts from BikeArlington & Phoenix Bikes will be available to talk about good bike routes to schools, fit helmets, check bikes and more. And there will be giveaways. The fair runs from 10am - 2pm, with a learn to ride class at 10:15am and a Fix a Flat Clinic at 1pm.

Everything is free! BikeArlington requests that everyone coming to the Fair and/or ride register (totally free) on this page.

Everyone is welcome on the Kidical Mass ride, but we will go as slow as our slowest rider. The ride is best suited for elementary-aged kids and those who are happy to go at a very casual pace.  It's helpful to remind competitive kids that this is not a race.

When: Saturday September 10, 2022

Meet: noon (roll out 12:15pm) @ Barrett Elementary - bball court off of Park Drive between George Mason & 3rd St S  

Parking: Neighborhood streets or
lot

Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/40777003

End: Back at Barrett 

August 2022: Public Safety Block Party Ride Around

Helicopters! Fire trucks! Police trucks! Free Food! Dogs! Raffles! Bounce houses! Arlington's Public Safety Block Party is back for the first time in 5 years! And we're going for a ride!

The route is short and simple, leaving from the Block Party and heading into the Glencarlyn neighborhood.  We'll meet at 2pm at the bike rodeo (near the parking lots off of Carlin Springs). We'll have at least 15 minutes for the kids to enjoy the rodeo (and to allow for people running a bit late), then we'll circle up and ride over to the Glencarlyn neighborhood, where we'll tour their lovely streets.  We'll be back by 3pm (probably more like 2:45p).

Make sure to plan time to enjoy all the cool stuff at the Block Party, which runs from noon - 5pm! You can find all the details on the official Block Party page. There's even bike valet to watch your ride!

When: Saturday, August 27, 2022, 2:00pm (for the ride - the Block Party is noon-5pm)

Meet: Kenmore Middle School; 200 S Carlin Springs Road 22204 - Bike Rodeo at the Block Party

Parking: Carlin Springs Elementary School (5995 5th Road S.) (though this may be limited)

End:  Kenmore Middle School; 200 S Carlin Springs Road 22204

Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/40717177

All are welcome. All of this is free. Hope to see you there!

July 2022: Tour de Spraygrounds! Sat 7/23 Meet 11am Mosaic Park

 It's HOT and what better way to beat the heat than enjoying Arlington's great SPRAYGROUNDS.

We'll meet at Mosaic Park -- the sprayground is on the Quincy Street side of the park -- then ride through some nice neighborhood streets and a cemetery to get to Penrose Square, where there's another sprayground!  Come early to enjoy the spray -- we'll roll out around 11:15am. 

Don't forget the sunscreen and towel!

The route is fairly gentle, crossing major streets with lights or
stop signs (except Pershing, but the sightlines are good). This is an A to B ride, and the best route back is the way we get there.

UPDATE: After the ride, we're heading to William Jefferies Tavern on the Pike to enjoy lunch and watch the the Tour de France. Totally optional, but we'd love friends to join us!

When: Saturday, July 23, 2022

Meet: 11:00am - Mosaic Park - N Quincy St & 5th Road N (we'll meet near that corner)

Car parking: Neighborhood streets (NOT in the big lot at Gold's Gym/&pizza)

Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/40248979

End: Penrose Square on Columbia Pike

May 2022: Secret Trail!

Happy Bike Month! 

This month, we'll use one of our FAVORITE trails in
Arlington: the Secret Trail (it probably has another name, but people don't seem to know it).  This trail connects Lyon Park park to the 27 Trail under Route 50. For this route, we'll continue on the new extension of the the 27 Trail into Penrose, then head back past TJ Middle School to Ashton Heights and Lyon Park, ending where we started. Easy peasy.

For those of you doing the APS Safe Routes to Schools Bike/Walk to School Day BINGO, we'll help you knock out a few spaces!  (Note the link above has a pdf of the card, with a few links to help you with the tasks)

The ride has some hills, but the steep one is very short and the long one is very gradual. We'll be on trails and neighborhood streets, crossing 50 at a light.

When: Sunday, May 15, 2022

Meet: 10:00am - Lyon Park - North Garfield Street and 4th Street North (roll out 10:15am) * meet by the picnic benches near 4th.

Parking: Neighborhood streets 

Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/38969188

End: Lyon Park, right where we start from.