2021 Cider RIDE GUIDE

Ride date: Sunday, November 7, 2021

Crisp autumn air, picture-perfect foliage, and a day spent on the Prince George’s County trails. Plus: donuts. What more could you want out of a fall day?

Join us for a 10, 30, or 55 ride, followed by a post-ride celebration, on Sunday, November 7.

Registration for the ride must be purchased at waba.org/ciderride

Quick Links

COVID-19 Safety Precautions — Event Code of Conduct

Ride Routes— Ride Support — Ride Safety

WABA Hotline — Check In — Finish Line & Afterparty — Ride Marshals — Ride with GPS

Pit Stop — Time Limits

What to Bring — Food and Water —Bathrooms— FAQ

Ride Routes

The Cider Ride Routes are now available!

PDF cue sheets:

Honeycrisp Ride (55 miles)

McIntosh Ride (31 miles)

Candy Apple Ride (11 miles)

COVID-19 Safety Precautions

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic affects the way WABA runs our in-person events. As we plan for the 2021 50 States Ride, we are taking into account regional case and vaccination trends; current CDC guidelines; evolving understanding of COVID-19 and how it spreads; and WABA staff comfort.

Vaccination Policy

WABA does not require participants to be vaccinated in order to attend the Cider Ride. However, we strongly encourage all participants to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. You can find information on how to get the vaccination here:

Get vaccinated in Washington, DC
Get vaccinated in Maryland
Get vaccinated in Virginia

Mask Policy

WABA is requiring staff or participants to wear masks at the outdoor ride sites during the Cider Ride.
Masks are required in the check-in site, at pit stops around the shared food/water tables, and whenever approaching staff or volunteers.

Physical Distancing Policy

Ride Sites (check-in, pit stops, and the after party) will have space for physical distancing. This is so folks who wish to maintain their distance may do so.
Please be cognizant of the distance between yourself and others when you are waiting in the check-in line, at snack tables, etc. and do your best to maintain 6 ft of space from other participants who are not in your group.
Please seek consent before entering another person’s space, and be respectful if asked to stay farther away.

Hand Hygiene

Hand sanitizer will be available at all ride sites and restrooms.
Please sanitize your hands before touching shared items (eg. water jugs).

Food and Drink

Most snacks and the post-ride meal will be pre-packaged and single-serving.
Staff will sanitize hands before handling food items.
A water jug will be available for participants to refill their personal water bottles.

Sick Policy

Participants should not attend in-person events if they feel sick or show symptoms of illness.

If you are sick the week before the event, WABA can either:

Convert your registration fee to a tax-deductible donation (thank you for your support!)
Defer your registration to next year’s Cider Ride.

If you are sick the week of the event, please contact WABA’s events team at events@test.waba.org.

Guidelines May Change

WABA reserves the right to update these guidelines and expectations if regional case trends or CDC guidelines changes make that appropriate.

Event Code of Conduct

WABA’s first priority is to provide a fun, inclusive and safe environment for all participants. Below is the Code of Conduct that you commit to when you enter a WABA space. Learn more at waba.org/code.

“As a member of the WABA community, I commit to the following whenever I am in a WABA space:

I acknowledge that I exist in a society built on unequal, and unjust power structures. I agree that I have a responsibility to interrogate my privileges and use my power to help make WABA spaces increasingly safe, inclusive, and supportive for everyone.
I acknowledge that WABA has a zero-tolerance policy for racist behavior, sexual harassment, physical or verbal abuse, microaggressions, tokenism, and all other harmful actions. I agree that these actions have no place in a supportive, inclusive community, and to make it a priority to never harm another person in any of these ways.
I acknowledge that my behavior — not my intentions—is what affects the people around me, and that it is possible for me to harass or otherwise harm others even when I don’t mean to. I agree to be respectful, kind, compassionate, and supportive to those around me in both word and in action—and, if someone lets me know that my behavior is harmful, to immediately adjust that behavior with the goal of preventing future harm.
I acknowledge that the work of mitigating the harmful effects of unjust power structures is never done. I agree to take on the responsibility of speaking out against instances of racism, sexism, ableism, and other discrimation or manifestations of prejudice, whenever I have the power to do so.
I acknowledge that if I cannot adjust a behavior that is harming other community members, it makes sense for WABA staff to ask me to leave the community space. I agree that if WABA staff asks me to leave a WABA space because of a Code of Conduct violation, I will do so. “

If you experience a code of conduct violation at the hands of another participant, staff member or volunteer, or witness unjust behaviors by another individual, please notify a WABA staff member.

Ride Support

The Cider Ride is an unsupported ride. This means:

Streets are not closed for this ride. You will ride on streets with motor vehicle traffic.
The route is unmarked.
There is no support and gear vehicle to pick you up.

Participants are expected to:

Call 911 in case of an emergency.
Have an emergency-contact who is not a ride participant “on call” during the ride.
Carry a charged cell phone (and charged battery pack for the longer rides).

Ride Safety

Cider Ride participants have a responsibility to bicycle safely, respectfully, and lawfully to maximize safety for all trail and road users.

When you are on this ride, you are a representative of WABA.

We ask you to:

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 users and slow down.

Check In

Check-in Location

Check-in and the ride start are at Alethia Tanner Park (227 Harry Thomas Way NE, Washington, DC 20002).

The park is less than one mile from the NoMa-Gallaudet U Metro stop (red line) via the Metropolitan Branch Trail. Click here for a map.

There is parking available near the park on neighborhood streets and in pay-to-park lots. Click here for a parking map (courtesy of NoMa BID).http://test.waba.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/NoMa-BID-Parking-Map-December-2017.pdf

Check-in Schedule

Honeycrisp Route (55 miles)

Check-in: 8:30-9:15 AM
Group Starts: 9:00 AM, 9:30 AM

McIntosh Route (30 miles)

Check-in: 9:30-10:15 AM
Group Starts: 10:00 AM, 10:30 AM

Candy Apple Ride Route

Check-in: 10:30 AM
Group Starts: 11 AM

Finish Line and Afterparty

Finish Line Location

All three Cider Ride routes end at Dew Drop Inn (2801 8th St NE, Washington, DC 20017)

Dew Drop Inn is 1 mile from the ride start (Alethia Tanner Park) via the Metropolitan Branch Trail. Click here for a direct route from the ride start to the finish line.

Dew Drop Inn is a half mile from the Brookland-CUA Metro stop (red line). Click here for a map.

Join your fellow WABA members for a post-ride celebration with more hot cider and drink and food specials from our partners at Dew Drop!

Ride Marshals

Ride Marshals are WABA volunteers who are there to help you navigate and offer encouragement and support. Marshals receive a training from WABA staff before the event and know participants may look to them with questions, for assistance, or to be a buddy. Marshals carry basic first aid supplies, and are instructed to call 911 in the case of an emergency on the ride.

Ride with GPS

To get free RideWithGPS turn-by-turn navigation on your smartphone, you will to do three things, all pretty easy:

Sign up for a free RideWithGPS account and install the mobile app on your phone.
Join the WABA RideWithGPS club by clicking here.
Click the route link for your starting location, then open the route in the app and click “Navigate.”

Route Links

You can find the routes for the Cider Ride here on Ride with GPS:

Pit Stops

Pit stops are for you to take a break, refill your water bottle, grab a snack, and chat with WABA staff and volunteers!

All pit stops will have maps with the most direct route to the finish line—so you can head to the post-ride celebration anytime you’re ready.

Honeycrisp Ride

Proteus Bikes (mile 14), 9:30 AM – 1:30 PM
Buddy Attick Lake Park (mile 32), 10:00 AM – 2:30 PM
Bladensburg Waterfront Park (mile 40), 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM

McIntosh Ride

Proteus Bikes (mile 14), 9:30 AM – 1:30 PM
Bladensburg Waterfront Park (mile 21), 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Candy Apple

Bladensburg Waterfront Park (mile 6.5), 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Time Limits

There is no time limit for the Cider Ride — since this is an unsupported ride and no roads are closed for the ride, WABA will not ask anyone to stop riding.

However, you will not be able to get snacks or water at any of the ride sites after they close— see pit stop schedule for details.

What to Bring

Bike
Helmet (Required by our insurance. You can’t ride without one.)
Bike lock (Even if you don’t plan to stop during the ride, it’s good to have a lock with you during the ride, in case of an unanticipated or emergency stop along the ride route.)
SmartTrip card
Weather appropriate clothing
Water bottles (you can fill it at the check-in area if you need to)
Saddle bag (to carry spare tube, tire levers, and pump or patch kit)
Spare tube (especially if you have a non-standard rim size!)
Charged cell phone and charger
Sunglasses and sunscreen
Additional snacks
An adventurous spirit!

Food and Water

There will be snacks and water available for registered attendees at the ride start, ride finish, and pit stops along the way.

Water

There will be water jugs from which you can fill your reusable water bottle. WABA does not provide cups or plastic water bottles—bring your own!

There will be hand sanitizer by the water jugs and provided in your check-in packets. Please sanitize your hands before and after touching the water spout. Event staff will disinfect the water spout between check-in groups.

Snacks

Snacks will be vegetarian. There will be vegan and gluten-free options.

Snacks will be single-serving and pre-packaged (you can have more than one! This preparation is part of our COVID-19 safety procedures).

All snacks will be served in a no-contact fashion—you can pick up what you want from the snack table. Please touch only the snacks you will take.

Bathrooms

There will be restrooms (either public restrooms or portapotties) available at all ride sites (start/end points and pit stops).

FAQ

You may want to check out this blog post about What to Expect at a WABA Ride as well!

Questions about who, what, where, when, and why.

What is this event?

The Cider Ride is a recreational, fundraising bicycle ride for the Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA). It gives participants a choice of three ride routes exploring Prince George’s County and Washington DC trails and neighborhood streets.

When is this event?

Sunday, November 7, 2021.

Where does this event take place?

Coming soon!

What time does this event start?

Check-in and group starts is as follows:

Honeycrisp Route (60 miles)

Check-in: 8:30-9:15 AM
Group Starts: 9:00 AM, 9:30 AM

McIntosh Route (30 miles)

Check-in: 9:30-10:15 AM
Group Starts: 10:00 AM, 10:30 AM

Joy Ride Route

Check-in: 10:30 AM
Group Starts: 11 AM

Are the roads closed for this ride? Are there cars?

Roads are NOT closed for this ride. We do our best to plan the rides on low-stress streets, but you will be sharing the road with motor vehicles.

Feel like you want to practice before the ride? Sign up for a Confident City Cycling Class. Or, for a refresher, watch this webinar on How to Ride in Traffic.

Is this ride supported?

No. All three ride routes are unsupported. That means:

Streets are not closed for this ride. You will ride on streets with motor vehicle traffic.
The route is unmarked.
There is no support and gear vehicle to pick you up.

Participants are expected to:

Call 911 in case of an emergency.
Have an emergency-contact who is not a ride participant “on call” during the ride.
Carry a charged cell phone (and charged battery pack for the longer rides).

Is the route marked with signs or arrows?

No. The route is unmarked.

Participants should navigate using the physical cue sheet provided in their check-in packet, or with free turn-by-turn navigation on their smartphone using the Ride with GPS app.

Will there be ride marshals?

Yes. Ride Marshals are volunteers who are there to help participants navigate and offer encouragement and support.

Lead Ride Marshals will lead an optional group start for those who wish to ride together.

Sweep Ride Marshals will bring up the back of each check-in group.

Do I have to ride with a group?

Nope! There will be group starts for each group (see timing above), but once you’ve checked in you can start your ride any time you’d like.

Where can I find information about the routes?

WABA will release the Cider Ride routes in an email to registrants the week of the ride.

In the meantime, check out last year’s Cider Ride Routes above in the Route Maps section! (The 2021 routes will be different, but similar in difficulty, distance, and elevation.)

I’m not sure which route is right for me!

We’d love to talk to you about this and help you pick the route that is the best fit for the ride you want to have! Email Anna at events@test.waba.org if you’d like to chat about it.

Do I have to follow traffic laws?

Yes. WABA asks and expects all participants to ride lawfully and with respect for other road users. This means:

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 users and slow down.

Do I have to wear a helmet?

Yes. WABA’s insurance requires that everyone riding a bicycle on a WABA ride wears a helmet while riding.

Click this link for a resource on how to properly fit your helmet.

What should I bring to the ride?

Bike
Helmet (Required by our insurance. You can’t ride without one.)
Bike lock (Even if you don’t plan to stop during the ride, it’s good to have a lock with you during the ride, in case of an unanticipated or emergency stop along the ride route.)
SmartTrip card (in case you decide you’d like to take the metro during or after the ride)
Weather appropriate clothing
Water bottles (you can fill it at the check-in area if you need to)
Saddle bag (to carry spare tube, tire levers, and pump or patch kit)
Spare tube (especially if you have a non-standard rim size!)
Charged cell phone and charger
Sunglasses and sunscreen
Additional snacks
An adventurous spirit!

Will you feed me?

There will be snacks and water available for registered attendees at the ride start, ride finish, and pit stops along the way.

There will be water jugs from which you can fill your reusable water bottle. WABA does not provide cups or plastic water bottles—bring your own!

Snacks will be vegetarian. There will be vegan and gluten-free options.

Snacks will be single-serving and pre-packaged (you can have more than one! This preparation is part of our COVID-19 safety procedures).

All snacks will be served in a no-contact fashion—you can pick up what you want from the snack table. Please touch only the snacks you will take.

Questions about Registration

Do I have to be a WABA member to register for this ride?

Nope! But current members can receive a discount on ride registration by using a discount code. WABA emailed this code to members.

If you haven’t received it, email events@test.waba.org and we’ll be happy to help!

If you’d like to become a member, visit waba.org/join!

What is your refund policy?

This is a fundraising event for WABA. We do not offer refunds or transfers for this ride except in case of illness.

Participants should not attend in-person events if they feel sick or show symptoms of illness.

If you are sick the week before the event, WABA can either:

Convert your registration fee to a tax-deductible donation (thank you for your support!)
Defer your registration to next year’s Cider RIde

If you are sick the week of the event, please contact WABA’s events team at events@test.waba.org.

Is there a youth rate for this ride?

Yes. Participants age 15 and under are eligible for the youth rate.

You must purchase ride registration for all individuals who will ride their own bicycle in the event.

I am riding a tandem bike with another individual! Do we need two registrations?

Yes, unless riding solo is not an option available to one of the participants. If so, please register for one person and send us an email with contact information for the other rider so we know who is coming at events@test.waba.org.

Can I register a guest for this ride?

Yes. You can register multiple people at one time. However, you must provide the name and email address of every attendee.

I want to register a child or person who does not have their own email address.

Please email events@test.waba.org and we will get this worked out.

Is there a wait list for the ride?

No. Registration will close when registration reaches its limit.

Can I register onsite the day of the ride?

Maybe! This ride may sell out in advance of ride day. If there are spots available, registration will remain open. Get your spot in advance to make sure!

Can I switch routes on ride day?

Yes. Please arrive during the check-in window for the route you wish to ride, and we’ll get you set up.

Questions about COVID-19 Safety

What precautions are you taking to mitigate risk from COVID-19 during this event?

You can read our full policies and procedures for this event here. Still have questions? Please email Anna at events@test.waba.org.

Is WABA requiring staff to work at this event?

Safety policies and procedures were developed in a collaborative staff working group and approved by WABA’s leadership. The staff who are working at the Cider Ride have opted in.

I have a question that you haven’t answered here.We are happy to help! Email your question to Anna at events@test.waba.org.

Page last updated by Anna McCormally on November 1, 2021.