Spring is here, and the cherry blossoms are just peeking out across Philadelphia. This week, we’ll go on a cherry blossom themed ride and see many different locations around the city with these beautiful trees that signal warmer weather is on its way. Long time rider, Sinead is leading us around Fairmount Park and along the Schuylkill River before ending at Carbon Copy in South Philadelphia.

On the route, there are several areas with concentrations of cherry blossoms including Drexel Park, the Please Touch Museum, Centennial Arboretum, along the Schuylkill River, and the Azalea Garden/Art Museum. We’ll stop at the Centennial Arboretum and Azalea Garden to regroup and give people a chance to admire these beautiful trees. See you on Wednesday!

As usual, we’ll ride according to our How We Ride guide. Please follow these ride norms so everyone’s on the same page, and we keep the ride safe and fun. We’d like to highlight:

Stop at lights. Please, please DO NOT block intersections contrary to the traffic light. Our group can be very large and extended, and holding traffic risks serious conflict. If the light turns red, please stop.

Roll past conflict. Whether it’s angry motorists or unruly pedestrians, please do not engage with conflict and move on in a way that de-escalates the situation.

Finally, a reminder of risks and responsibilities. You don’t need to sign a waiver to join a Wednesday Night Ride, because it’s an entirely voluntary & free group activity. But please keep in mind:

• Everyone rides at their own risk.
• Every rider is responsible for themselves, their behavior, and their bike.
• Keep your bike properly maintained. Here’s a link to a basic bike check.
• Cycling has inherent risks–you could crash, fall down, or get hit by a car, and get hurt or even killed–though we try to minimize these risks.
• If you have a health condition that could affect your ride or put you at additional risk, consider a) checking in with a doctor, b) letting us or a friend know, c) having a backup plan to get home if riding doesn’t work out.
• We always plan to have a sweeper, but can’t rule out that you could get lost, or that your bike could break down and you’ll need to find another way home.

Want to lead a ride in 2026? We’re looking for ride leaders. Let us know if you’re interested! Our only criteria for leading a ride is that you’ve joined us before. You don’t need to have prior group ride lead experience or come up with the whole route on your own, we can help with that!

Thanks for riding! See you Wednesday.