In a slightly smaller and much less religious gathering than the previous day’s Promise Keepers event, 1,100 bicyclists participated in the Washington Area Bicyclist Assocation’s Fourth Annual National Capital Bicycle Tour on Sunday, October 5. A beautiful, unseasonably warm day (with temperatures reaching the upper 80’s) brought out cyclists of all ages and abilities. Experienced cyclists enjoyed hilly countryside rides of 42 to 102 miles, about which one WABA member commented, “excellent and challenging route -; light traffic, beautiful scenery. Well done!” Cyclists looking for shorter rides chose from tours along the Capital Crescent Trail and through D.C.’s neighborhoods and parks, with options from 9 to 31 miles. The most frequently heard comment was simply, “The ride was great.”

The ride was great thanks in large part to a core group of dedicated volunteers, the National Capital Bicycle Tour Steering Committee, who put in hours of hard work over the past year: Laura Middleton, Allen Muchnik, Andy Carruthers, Anne-Marie Bairstow, and Seth Heminway. And thanks also to the over 100 volunteers who helped the weekend of the event.

The National Capital Bicycle Tour was sponsored by BikesUSA, Nylcare Health Plans, Washington Gas, Deloitte & Touche, Starbucks, Giant, PowerBar, Subway, and Spokes.

Mark your calendars now for the Fifth Annual National Capital Bicycle Tour on Sunday, October 4, 1998.