Author: moniqueb

In May, communities across the US celebrate Bike Month with events, activities, and programs that promote getting around on two wheels. Whether you ride for fun, for exercise, for commuting to work, or for daily trips, it is a terrific option for getting around your community. Tysons Community Alliance was proud to join in the fun by hosting two exciting bike events to bring our community out for a ride and Explore Tysons on two wheels.

Bikes Bloom at Pedal with Petals

Tysons Pedal with Petals was bigger than ever this year! On May 12, more than 60 participants and volunteers came out to spend their morning rolling into spring with the TCA. It was a delight seeing community and families come together to ride around and through Tysons, decorate their bikes, play games, and enjoy food from local vendors.

After a rousing stretch and warm-up led by trainers from Tysons Body Fit Training, riders set off on a 9 mile ride. They circled through the blooming streets of the Town of Vienna, rolled through scenic Wolf Trap National Park, explored the new Route 7 multi-use trail into Tysons, and returned on the Vesper Trail near the Spring Hill Metro Station. While they were out, a group of parents, younger riders, and enthusiastic marshals started a 2 mile ride exploring the quiet streets around Westbriar Elementary, exploring the trail connections that cross Old Courthouse Spring Branch into Tysons.

And throughout the morning, the festival kept going, with tasty food from local vendors, activities, conversation, and helpful connections to community resources.

Fairfax County’s Channel 16 Around Fairfax was on the scene and put together a terrific video of the ride and festivities, with remarks from Fairfax County Supervisor Walter Alcorn, Supervisor Dalia Palchik and TCA Chief Executive Officer Katie Cristol.

Watch video:

Thanks so much to our incredible volunteers, Celebrate Fairfax, Fairfax Alliance for Better Bicycling, Washington Area Bicyclist Association, BFT Tysons, Coach Dustin – Mobility Training, Food for Others, Sustainability Matters, and DarkSky NOVA for joining the event. And Thanks to everyone who joined us to make the ride and festival a colorful success! 

You can see photos from the event in our Flickr gallery. 

May Showers Take A Break for Bike to Work Day 

On Thursday, May 15, almost 13,000 people around the region took part in Bike To Work Day.  The annual event promotes riding a bike for some or all of your trip to work as a fun, energizing, and approachable transportation option and offers an exciting opportunity to try something new. Fortunately, following a week of dubious weather forecasts, the rain cleared, the fog lifted, and the sun even came out to greet us for a lovely ride!  

This year, Tysons offered three pitstops to support and welcome riders coming to or from work. In addition to the pitstops at Tysons Corner Center and The Boro, TCA hosted a new pitstop at Spring Hill Metrorail Station. Throughout the morning, riders came through to pick up breakfast snacks, grab a vibrant red BTWD T-shirt, and chat about their experience navigating Tysons by bike. REI, VDOT, and Fairfax Alliance for Better Bicycling were on the scene to show their support, offer quick mechanical help, and share details about projects coming to the Tysons area.

We spoke with many participants who were biking to work for the first time and discovering the bicycling connections into and around Tysons. Some arrived in groups. Others with a friend. Some arrived on foot, having biked to their nearest Metrorail Station. And quite a few bike to work many times a week! Fairfax County Supervisor Walter Alcorn, who represents the Hunter Mill District on the Board of Supervisors, stopped by on his bike to say hello. And two bicycle convoys converged at the pitstop, bringing riders from as far as Alexandria and Vienna. In total, 53 people rolled through our new Spring Hill pitstop!

For an extra incentive to explore Tysons during Bike to Work Day, TCA offered a special reward for visiting two or more Tysons pitstops. Between the morning and afternoon, 21 people took up TCA’s challenge and gained new experience biking through Tysons in the process.

Congratulations to everyone who participated in Bike to Work Day! We were thrilled to see so many people energized for the day. And thanks for making our new pitstop a success. See you next year for another exciting Tysons Bike Month!

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