Bike DC, after a successful test-run last year, is back for sure. I thought I'd post it here in case any of the local PdC'ers hadn't heard about it yet.  On Saturday, October 17th, thousands of bicyclists will participate in the 2009 edition of Bike DC. This year, it expands across the Potomac to be the "Washington and Arlington Community Bike Ride." For those who are unfamiliar with it, this is a noncompetitive ride offering miles of car-free biking through the heart of DC and Arlington. It also gives participants the opportunity to enjoy cycling on the George Washington Parkway, which is normally closed to bikes (this is the part I'm particularly looking forward to, as will anyone who's ever driven the parkway). I hope you'll consider coming out and enjoying the day. Details are:

Time & Start: There are two route options. The 25-mile Capital Ride begins at 8 a.m. The 12-mile Family Ride begins at 9 a.m. Both rides begin on Constitution Street NW in front of the National Archives Building and end across the Potomac River in Crystal City, Virginia.

Cost: To make the event especially family-friendly, Bike DC is free of charge for children 15-years old and younger. Registration and helmets are required. The adult registration fee is $35 for the Capital Ride and $25 for the Family Ride. Registration fees are $10 higher on the day of the event. Details and registration are available online at www.BikeDC.net until 11:59 p.m. on Friday, October 16th.

Route Differences: Both the Capital and Family rides pass by the U.S. Capitol, the Supreme Court, the White House, the Washington Monument, the Pentagon, and the Marine Corps and Air Force memorials. The longer Capital Ride also features a climb up Embassy Row to the U. S. Naval Observatory and the Twin Oaks estate in NW Washington, plus a rare opportunity to bike the tree-lined George Washington Parkway in Arlington and the Whitehurst Freeway in Washington.

While I'm definitely going to get a lap or two in on the GW section, I'll be spending most of the ride as a volunteer near at the Iwo Jima rest stop. Say hi.