Are you registered for the (sold out!) inaugural Bike 5 Cities 28-mile ride but have a few questions about the day-of procedures? Below you will find all of your answers. We’ll see you on the trail on Saturday!
Bike 5 Cities – 28-Mile Ride Venue and Timing
Mead Botanical Gardens
1500 S. Denning Dr., Winter Park
7 a.m. – Mead Garden gates open
7:10 – 7:45 a.m. Check-in / T-shirt pick-up
7:45 a.m. – Ride announcements
8 a.m. Sharp – Ride rolls!
SOLD OUT??
We know you didn’t pay to ride in this event, but if you’d like to make a tax-deductible donation to Bike/Walk Central Florida, who is working hard to make bicycling and walking normal in our area, please click here.
Parking and Car Pooling
Limited parking at Mead Gardens. We encourage everyone that is able, to ride their bike or car pool to the event with friends. Don’t have friends? Don’t worry, you’ll make some Saturday. Bicyclists are the friendliest people.
Safety
The ride will be on a mixture of paved bicycle path and open roadways. Please follow all traffic signals and laws. Safety is our number one concern! Not every intersection will have police support so be especially careful in those areas.
Emergency
As always, please call 911.
Course map
- Please review the course map prior to arriving… https://ridewithgps.com/routes/20469282
- We will have ride ambassadors on this “no drop ride,” however we advise that you please familiarize yourself with the route map as the roads are NOT marked. Download to a GPS devise or print a copy.
Amenities
Water and snacks will be provided at the rest stops/individual city events at Cady Way Trailhead in Winter Park, Wirz Park in Casselberry, Maitland Community Park and Life Center Church in Eatonville.. Please bring a water bottle to drink along the way.
Mechanical issues and planning ahead for tired legs
- Make sure your bike is in good working order (tire pressure, brakes) prior to the ride.
- For mechanical support during the ride, call 407-785-9118 (program that in your phone).
- If you bonk (bike rider speak for too tired to finish), please pull over to a safe place and call a trusted friend to pick you up. While we will provide support for the ride, we won’t have a broom wagon to pick up tired riders. Our volunteers will be busy supporting riders safety and can’t wait with you if you decide to stop completely. There are plenty of safe places to wait for a ride on the course.
Other helpful tips for a comfortable ride
- Drink plenty of water and electrolytes before and during the ride. On average, you should have 20 oz. per hour during exercise.
- Don’t forget to bring your helmet and a smile; both are mandatory!
Social media
Posting photos to social media? Use the hashtag #Bike5Cities, and tag us (Facebook) @bikewalkcentralflorida (Twitter) @BikeWalkCFL and (Instagram) @BikeWalkCFL. After the event (next week after we sleep again), we’ll send you a link to our photos on Flickr.
Donations
Did we mention that this is a free event for you? Why?
Bike/Walk Central Florida was born out of a belief that it is their duty to do what it takes to protect the most vulnerable road users and to make walking and biking in Central Florida – the norm. They are a group of dedicated and passionate volunteers with a small but mighty staff. Your contributions to their work support advocacy for safer road design, enforcement efforts to ensure drivers yield for pedestrians and relentless support for more trails and protected infrastructure for cyclists. The 5 Cities Ride is free thanks to Healthy Central Florida and the Winter Park Health Foundation, but please consider a gift of $5-$10 to BWCF when you check in. They’ll put it to good use on your behalf. Or click here now.
