Tim tries to rally the group to get back on the road after a quick drink break. © Cyclocross Magazine
by Molly Hurford
It seems like only yesterday that riders left from Boston en route to Washington, DC. In reality, the riders have been going for three days and covered over 350 miles. Thanks to the group’s leader, ride organizer, poster-boy for the Ride on Washington, and six-time National Champion in cyclocross, Tim Johnson, morale has stayed high, even with a cold and rainy first day and a long haul from Hartford to New York (over 135 miles) on the second day. The third day was a “rest day” with only 95 miles of relatively flat riding as the group made their way through New Jersey en route to Philadelphia.
Tim Johnson has been speaking at receptions every night, explaining his reasons for starting the Ride on Washington, one of the biggest pushes for bike advocacy that this country sees during the year. Sponsored by Bikes Belong and many other bike-friendly companies, the group of 20 riders is currently riding from Boston to Washington, DC, with stops in Hartford, New York City, Philadelphia and Baltimore along the way. Johnson speaks about how he began his career in cycling as a bike racer, but only recently, when he discovered cycling advocacy, did he being to feel like a real cyclist. Whether you’re strictly a cyclocross racer who only rides on the trails, or a part-time roadie who wants safer roads, bike advocacy is important for every kind of cyclist.
Can’t wait for more from the Ride? Check out the last Girl With The Cowbell Tattoo column. We’ll be posting interviews with some of the cyclocrossers on the ride to catch up with them in the off-season, and we’ve got some great content headed your way in the next few days.
