Pedal with Petals family bicycle ride returns to Tysons with new, bigger routes

The D.C. area’s cherry trees are no longer blossoming, but cyclists can still take in the warm, pollen-filled spring air when the Pedal with Petals Family Bike Ride returns to Tysons next month.

Organized by the Tysons Community Alliance (TCA), the event was introduced last April as part of the National Cherry Blossom Festival. This time, it will take place on May 11, from 8-11 a.m., and the routes will cover more of Tysons, instead of centering on Tysons Corner Center.

“We are thrilled to be bringing back this community event,” TCA CEO Katie Cristol said in a press release. “Pedal with Petals is a great opportunity to bring our community together while promoting active mobility opportunities throughout Tysons.”

Registration for the bicycle ride is open and free, but it’s limited to just 200 participants, who can undertake an advanced, 4.5-mile-long route or a nearly 2-mile, family-friendly route.

The advanced ride will start at 9 a.m. and reach Wolf Trails Park on Old Courthouse Road, while the shorter ride will start at 9:30 a.m. and follow a loop. Riders will meet in the parking lot of The Concourse (1593 Spring Hill Road) for both routes, which begin and end on the Vesper Trail.

In addition to cycling, activities planned for the event include a bicycle decorating station, free bike tune-ups offered by REI, music from a DJ, coffee and pastries from Vienna’s Frothy Mug van and post-ride ice cream provided by local caterer Tysons Creamery.

The Merrifield-based nonprofit Food for Others will also collect donations for a food drive. While not required, the TCA is encouraging participants to bring at least one non-perishable food item, such as cereal, pasta or canned goods.

The TCA is still seeking volunteers to support Pedal with Petals by helping set the courses up, checking riders in, overseeing activities and other duties. Fairfax Alliance for Better Bicycling will provide bike marshals to help guide cyclists along the two routes.

Coinciding with National Bike Month, the second annual Pedal with Petals will come on the heels of the Tour de Hunter Mill community bicycle ride organized every spring by Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn’s office. That event on Sunday, May 5 will concentrate on the Reston and Vienna area, featuring routes along the Washington & Old Dominion Trail and the new shared-use path on Leesburg Pike (Route 7).