The Ride Around Clark County, a community cycling event sponsored annually since 1983 by the Vancouver Bicycle Club, will be different this year. The traditional first Saturday in May is history. The new date is the third Saturday in August. This year, that’s Aug. 18.
That means ambitious cyclists will have more time to train and less worry about rain. The risk of a summer scorcher is less than that of a spring downpour, according to Devin Bowen, president of the Bicycle Club.
“May isn’t the best time to have a big outdoor event,” he said. “The RACC should be something people can ride in the sunshine. That’s been a big struggle for us. Ridership can vary pretty dramatically as people wait to see what the weather will be.”
The early May timing has always rendered the RACC “a training ride for other summer rides, and that’s OK, but I’d rather view it as a ride you train for,” Bowen said. “It’s a great event and we want to make it as good as possible.”
The event’s base has changed, too. Cyclists will launch from Pearson Air Museum, not Clark College, and when they return they’ll enjoy a big celebration: barbecue lunch, smoothies, beer garden and live music until 4 p.m.
That’s a very different scene than past ones at Clark College, when finishing cyclists have rolled back to nothing much except an emptying parking lot. “RACC has been a great community ride, but after the ride there’s been not a lot going on,” said Bowen. “You come back from your first century and there’s nobody there to say, ‘Man, that was hard; you did a great job.’ ”
The RACC’s looping routes have been tweaked slightly, but they’ll be similar to previous years: 101 miles, 67 miles, 54 miles and 34 miles. Plus, there’s a brand-new, 20-mile loop that explores the Burnt Bridge Creek Trail.
All post-ride festivities and refreshments are included in your registration, and so are the rolling mechanical support and periodic rest stops, well-stocked with snacks and beverages, that make the RACC such a pleasure. Early registration is $50 for adults for all but the 20-mile ride, which costs $35. Youth registration for ages 13 to 17 is $25 for all rides. All prices go up by $5 on July 1.
Early registration for the ride should be open by the time you read this. To register, and for more information about the Vancouver Bicycle Club, visit vbc-usa.com.
Build your skills
The Vancouver Bicycle Club has also launched a new “Stress Free Skills and Safety Series,” free and easy group outings for beginners who know how to ride but haven’t ventured into traffic before. You don’t need to be a member of the club to ride along; all you need is a road-worthy bike and a helmet. The helmet is not optional. The routes are designed to be flat and no longer than a dozen miles.
The first beginner ride is set for 5:30 p.m. on March 12. Please arrive 15 minutes early in the school parking lot at McLoughlin Middle School, 802 MacArthur Blvd. Ride leaders will start out reviewing bike safety and the rules of the road, do quick safety checks and pump up any needy tires. The group starts rolling at 5:45 p.m.
The ride will include a discussion on safety, gear, riding skills, bike maintenance and nutrition. It’ll all be over by 6:30 p.m.
