ABCs of Family Biking a DC Adventure

Bikemamadelphia and crew were in DC this weekend to check out our southern Kidical Mass friend's ABCs of Family Biking event held at the Montessori School @Logan's parking lot. The location was adjacent to the Union Station area of DC but tucked in an adorable neighborhood and this school had a pretty killer parking lot for the event (although next year KMDC are likely to expand for more room!!) and playground.

We had held prior smaller scale ABCs here in Phily but neither seem to have a really good flow to me, so in the original's third year we went to check it out in person. We drove down in two hours hitting no traffic and found parking easily. We parked in front of the school which was a one way street with a contraflow bike lane! My crew found their way to the really beautiful playground ASAP. As kids who always ride in cargo bikes, a big bike gathering is less then amusing, they see it as nothing but normal so having a really nice playground keeps them going!


The events/demonstrations of the day were divided into a few sections of the parking lot.  When you come into the parking lot on either side there is a sign in station.  The "show-and-tell" area is the main stage if you will where families/bike shops park their bikes for other families to see. Each owner was given a questionnaire with a few questions and names, the owner of the bike is also given a name tag to match. If they feel comfortable allowing their bike to be test rode or to ask questions you just find the matching person.

Two bike shops were there, The Daily Rider & Bicycle Space and a ton of parent owned bikes lined up.

Bicycle Space, also set up a parent's obstacle course that you could use their edgerunners on or your own bike. The Daily Rider, who showed up on a red bullitt choke full of tiny striders for an adorable balance bike race they supported with the help of those shiny striders.

Safe Routes to School the co-organizer of the event is set up at the front as well handing out lots of good biking/walking to school information. Finally, WABA set up a bicycle rodeo for kids on pedal bikes to learn safety skills while biking. They had bikes ready to loan and helmets as well.

Also Kidical Mass DC is fancy and had a documentary in a day crew following her as well as photographers wandering about. SO FANCY.

The day was full of families and I will say edgerunners and bullitts and their ability to be assisted made them the dominating models of family transport in DC. KMDC called it and said she thinks this year is the explosion for DC area families and I believe it. Overall fantastic event.

PS. I got to try a Christiana Trike!! I totally stuck Juniper in it unstrapped at first but she was crawling around to much so I handed her off to my husband and took the bike for a quick spin then my husband rode it the rest of the way for his own try. I would love one if we didn't live on a such a big hill, such a big box space and fun to ride!