Get on Your Bike After Dark - Kent

Location: Hogan Park Kent
Distance: 6.5 miles
Elevation gain: 127 feet
Pace: Easy [under 10 mph]
Terrain: Flat
Regroup: Stay together
Weather cancels?: Steady rain cancels

Note: Front and rear lights are required.

Ride Description:

Have you been riding this fall and watching the days get shorter? Daylight savings time ends November 5, so sunset moves up to 4:45 p.m. Do you want to see how well your lights work? Here is your opportunity to try a short night ride on paved trail and very low traffic road.

The route is somewhat shorter than other Get on Your Bike routes, but it's long enough to give you a good idea of what it's like to ride after dark. The route follows the Green River Trail for a short distance, then follows Frager Road for a few miles. There aren't  any street lights, so the road will be really, really dark. You will get a good idea of what you can and can't see with your light.

We'll stop for a minute so that you can compare your light to other lights. The ride leader has a really bright light for comparison (2000 lumens). We will also stop before making some turns and before encountering potential road hazards. These are things that are easy to see during the day, but look a lot different at night.

Our start and end point will be Hogan Park (formerly Russell Road Park) in Kent. The ride is free and open to everyone. The route is nearly flat. We will stay together for the entire ride, so you need not be concerned about being left behind. Total distance is 6.5 miles.

"Easy Pace" is under 10 mph on flat roads without any headwind.

You should dress appropriately for the weather, but you do not need spandex or other specialized bike gear. All you need is a working bike with head light and tail light and a helmet. Remember to charge your lights before the ride! If you haven't ridden your bike for quite some time, please do an ABC Check (link below) or take it to your local bike shop a few days prior to the ride date.

Please arrive 15 minutes before the published start time to ready your bike, check in and participate in the safety and ride briefing. We will go over hand signals and what we say during the ride to keep ourselves safe.

Please sign an e-waiver by clicking on the “Register Now” button at the top of this page (right below the ride title) and enter your information. This will save time at the start of the ride. If you cannot make the ride, you do not need to unregister.

Steady rain or more severe weather will cancel the ride.  The ride will go if there is very light rain that does not interfere with visibility. If the ride is canceled in advance due to weather, the cancellation will be announced in the comments section at least two hours before start time, and the ride leader will not be at the start.

If you have questions, please contact the Ride Leader.