Ride Director Comments

Deborah Caplan is looking for a female roommate. Daniel Mazur is looking for a male roommate.

Ride Description

Washington DC – Museums and Monuments, Madness and Mayhem!

An 8-day fixed base ride October 13th - 21st, 2025.

OVERVIEW   Washington, D.C. is the seat of our nation’s government - Capitol, Congress, Supreme Court, and White House. Our nation’s treasure troves include the National Mall, Washington Monument, Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials, 17 Smithsonian museums (free), National Zoo (free), and others.  Washington D.C. is the place to dive into history, such as Mount Vernon. It’s also a place to reflect - Arlington National Cemetery.

BAC members have decided that it’s the perfect place for a bike tour. D.C. is recognized as one of the most bike-friendly metropolitan areas in the US. with hundreds of miles of designated bike routes, lanes and paths. 

Autumn is a perfect time to visit DC. The sweltering summer humidity has cooled and the hoards of tourists have receded. Leaves are still on the trees providing shade but the colors begin to change.

As always, there is the possibility of the occasional riot, insurrection, or other form of rebellious uprising in the capital, but these can occur in any season!

IMPORTANT NOTE: You should be comfortable riding in an urban environment around cars & traffic. Because this is an urban tour you must know how to use Ride w/ GPS via your phone or Garmin.

Routes: This is fixed base tour with a recommended route for each day which will be reviewed at the Social Hour the evening before.  Those who desire to visit different local sites or log more miles have the option to do so. Detailed route descriptions will be posted in Ride Leader Docs.Some routes are paved but others are packed dirt or gravel. Subsequently, 25mm road tires are not recommended for this tour. 32mm tires are ideal but 28mm are adequate.

The Washington Metro Area Transit Authority, aka Metro, offers the option to extend or reduce some bicycle routes by using the subway system. Routes with this option will be discussed at Social/Happy Hour and noted in the detailed route descriptions.

Planned routes

·  C&O Canal Trail from Georgetown. 

·  Rock Creek Park to National Zoo, Bethesda, MD and back via Capital Crescent Trail. Bethesda, MD has many great restaurants for lunch.

·  Anacostia River Trail to College Park, MD. This route goes through southeast DC including Washington National Baseball Stadium and Audi Field Soccer Stadium. College Park is the main campus of University of Maryland.

·  Mt Vernon Trail follows the Potomac River. Plan to spend time touring George Washington’s estate ($35 entry fee included with this BAC tour) to learn how it was run in the 1780s.

·  Washington & Old Dominion (W&OD) Trail to Dulles, VA. The route goes through the suburbs of Northern VA. Option: visit the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center museum (free) featuring aircraft & spacecraft including a complete Space Shuttle.

·  Massachusetts Avenue Route – aka: Embassy Row. This route also goes to the National Cathedral.

·  National Mall and monuments.  This iconic DC route goes by national monuments and other significant historical sites. A detailed list of historic sites will be provided. Plan your visits in advance! Some museums and the Washington Monument require (free) timed tickets reserved in advance.

·  50 State Ride. A well-known ride in DC, the 50 State Ride covers at least one part of every street named after a state. See also: https://www.50statesride.org/ 

·  National Harbor Route.

Group Excursions:

·  Night Ride. We’ll follow well-lit paths along the National Mall. Nighttime views of the monuments are beautiful and definitely worth the ride. 

·  Kennedy Center. We hope to attend “Sheer Madness”, a hilarious improvisational performance showing at the Kennedy Center since 1987.

·  Tickets to The People’s House: A White House Experience and Mount Vernon are included in tour cost.

·  We have tentatively included a group Potomac River cruise; details will follow.

Health and Safety   Covid vaccinations are recommended but not required. Participants are expected to come to the tour in good health and ready to ride. Should someone's health become compromised and the group’s health and safety placed in jeopardy, a plan will be developed by the ride leader(s) and communicated to all individuals. The expectation is for the group to work together to mitigate any spread of infection or illness as a means to ensure the tour can continue as planned.

Ride Rating: 1A  This is a fixed base ride. Participants can ride as many or as few routes as chosen. Route mileage and elevation will be provided. Some routes may exceed the 1A rating. These routes will be clearly designated. Where possible a shorter ride may be an option by using the Metro subway system.

Cue sheets, maps, GPS files  Ride with GPS routes will be provided. Participants can print individual maps and cue sheets from Ride w/ GPS in advance.

Weather Washington DC in October averages 69° high and 46° low. On average it rains 6 days. However, D.C. weather can be quite variable. Participants should be prepared to ride in cold and rainy weather.

Lodging and Meals  Hotel Homewood Suites by Hilton.1900 North Quinn Street, Arlington, VA, 22209 +1(703) 348-2828.  Located just over the Potomac River in Arlington, VA,this hotel has easy access to the bike trails and is a 10-minute walk to restaurants, grocery stores and a Target. It also provides free buffet breakfasts, wifi, shuttle service within a 1-mile radius to Rosslyn metro station, area restaurants & shops (including Target & Safeway); complimentary Evening Social  Wednesdays, 5pm-6:30p; a 24-hour Fitness Studio featuring Peloton; and Laundry Facilities. Rooms feature small kitchenettes with a full-size fridge, two burner stovetop, microwave and dishwashers.

Meals included are breakfasts each day at the hotel and two group dinners. 

Logistics  Washington Dulles International (IAD) and Reagan National Airport (DCA) are the closest airports. The Metro (subway) system serves both airports; taxi and Uber/Lyft are also available. The hotel for this tour is a 15 minute walk from the Rosslyn Metro station.

Washington DC is also accessible via Amtrak train which goes directly to downtown Union Station. Union Station is also served by the Metro (subway) system, Uber and Lyft.

Hotel parking charges are $30 per day + 6% tax ($31.80). Nearby private parking lots may offer better rates. Airport parking is also an option. You can park at the airport and either bike or take the subway back into the city.
Storage for bike boxes will be provided.

Nearby bike rentals

Unlimited Biking  998 Maine Ave SW, Washington, DC 20024 https://unlimitedbiking.com/washington-dc/rentals/ (located at Maine Ave, DC waterfront)

Bid Wheel Bikes 3119 Lee Highway, Arlington, Virginia 22201. https://www.bigwheelbikes.com/rentals

E-Bikes and Tandems are welcome on this tour.

COST, ADMINISTRATION  D.C. hotel rooms are not cheap; they are the biggest cost driver of the budget. To reduce tour costs, Ride Leader Chris Leach, who lives in DC will not be staying at the hotel but will be present for all rides, tours, happy hours and evening excursions. Questions during evening hours can be directed to Co-Leader, Cindy Fewell, who will be lodging at the hotel.

The tour price of $2,400.00 includes 8 nights lodging; 2 group dinners; hotel breakfasts, social hours with appetizers and beverages. It also includes a group outing to the Kennedy Center; a planned Potomac cruise; and entry tickets to Mount Vernon (estate home of George Washington) and The People’s House, a White House Experience. A deposit of $1,200 plus the $85 non-refundable BAC registration fee is required upon acceptance. A second payment of $1,200 will be due May 15, 2025.

Singles & Solos  Singles & Solos are welcome. After receipt of initial deposit a single without a designated roommate will be placed on the ride and given until June 1, 2025 to find a roommate. Singles are encouraged to find their own roommate. If unable, he/she will have the option of a full refund (minus BAC Ride Registration & Payment Processing fees) or pay the $1,090 Solo Supplement. After paying the solo supplement he/she may continue to seek a roommate if desired. The Ride Leader will assist in introducing singles looking for roommates.

Solo supplement payments are made by check or by Zelle.  Details for making solo supplement payments by check or Zelle will be shared with solo riders as needed.  

Cancellation Policy  The BAC Ride Registration Fee and Payment Processing Fees are not refundable unless the entire tour is canceled because the number of participants registered is less than the minimum established for the tour. Refunds of tour payments will depend upon whether a replacement rider signs up, and on costs that can be recouped. The amount refunded will be based on the principle that the tour’s remaining participants will not incur any additional cost as a result of cancellations. If the canceling participant is replaced, a refund will be made at that time. If the canceling participant can't be replaced, any refund will be determined after the ride and final expense report are completed. If a single participant cancels and another roommate cannot be found, in addition to other costs that cannot be recouped the canceling roommate may also be liable for the solo supplement fee of the roommate remaining on the tour. BAC encourages members to purchase trip cancellation insurance.

Ride Participant Responsibility  BAC Ride Leaders are volunteers; successful tours depend on participants providing much of their own support. Participants are expected to come to the ride well trained, in good health and well-maintained bicycles. All participants should accept responsibility for a safe and enjoyable tour. We encourage you to read the ride description carefully and respond to requests from the Ride Leader. Support your Ride Leader with offers to help with various tasks such as happy hour preparation and cleanup. Do not invite non-participants onto any portion of the ride or tour. Please keep the Ride Leader informed of special requests and respect the Ride Leader’s decisions.

Insurance  Before participating in a BAC tour assess whether your medical and travel insurance coverage is sufficient. BAC maintains insurance coverage related to accidents inside the US, regardless of your nationality. Members’ personal insurance should cover medical emergencies such as sudden and unexpected sickness as this is not included in the BAC policy. Coverage is subject to a $1,000 deductible. Consider personal coverage for emergency evacuation which is also not included. Costs of treatment or quarantine for Covid and other unexpected illnesses are not covered. Ensure your vaccinations are up-to-date.

Sign-up  Use the sign-up link above the Ride Description. After preliminary acceptance you will be moved to the pending list and receive an email requesting you accept the BAC Release of Liability (ROL) terms and pay the tour deposit and non-refundable BAC Ride Registration fee via credit card. Your name(s) will be added to the Participant List after the deposit is processed. Questions? Contact the Ride Director by "clicking" the name at top of Ride Description.