Video: View NoVa From A Bike Seat During May 5 Tour De Hunter Mill

RESTON, VA — Bike riders of all skill levels are invited to participate in the fourth annual Tour de Hunter Mill, a community bicycling event sponsored by Supervisor Walter Alcorn (D-Hunter Mill).

"There are some bikers that do go pretty quickly across the route, but we want everybody to enjoy their time at the Tour de Hunter Mill and see Hunter Mill," he said.

The annual event gives Alcorn a different perspective on the district he represents on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.

This year's ride takes place on Sunday, May 5, from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.. Check-in begins at 8 a.m., at the North County Government Center, which is located at 1801 Cameron Glen Drive in Reston. More information about the ride is available online.

Participants can choose two routes this year — one 16-miles and the other 27 miles. Both routes are loops, so riders will return to where they started. The routes also include portions of the new side path on Route 7 and the W&OD Trail.

"The tour is a great way for folks to get out and experience the local roads, the trails, and so on, so they know how to get around by bike," said Bruce Wright of the Fairfax Alliance for Better Bicycling. "One of the features this year is the Route 7 trail that's going to go from Reston all the way into Tysons and people can commute on it. It's probably as quick once you get on the bike, get into Tyson's and park next to the building than it would be to drive."

A rest stop will be open from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Meadowlark Gardens in Vienna, where riders can grab some water and snacks, as well as visit the restroom if necessary.

"It's going to be covering some of the infrastructure we've had in Fairfax County for a long time, like the W&OD trail or the Fairfax County Parkway Trail, as well as utilizing some of the bike lanes that are painted onto the roads throughout the county," said Joel Kuester of the Reston Bike Club. " Hopefully next year, we'll be able to cross over Wiehle Avenue on the new Wiehle Avenue Bridge that's going to make that crossing safer for all of our trail users."

Participants are encouraged to register online prior to May 5. There is a fee of $30 per adult rider. Children 15 and under are free, but they must be riding with an adult. To register as a family of up to 5 people, email [email protected] for more information.

Registration includes Tour De Hunter Mill socks, which can be picked up on the day of the ride and a $5 donation to the Fairfax Alliance for Better Bicycling. FABB members will receive a discount. Join FABB.