Columbia BikeAbout spotlights Columbia’s history, beauty on Saturday, September 23
Columbia Association’s (CA) annual BikeAbout will be held Saturday, Sept. 23, with riders setting off from the dock at Lake Elkhorn. The free, fun and informative tour presents Columbia’s history and showcases the connectivity of its pathway system.
Preregistration is not required but is encouraged via columbiaassociation.org/bikeabout. Columbia BikeAbout will begin at 9:30am, with riders able to start up until 10am. They are expected to complete the ride by 1pm. Following the ride, participants will have the opportunity to refuel and have fun at the Owen Brown Festival, which begins at noon.
This year’s route is 10 miles long and winds through the villages of Owen Brown, Oakland Mills and Long Reach. In celebration of Columbia’s 50th Birthday, the theme of this year’s BikeAbout is “Appreciate the past and imagine the future.” Along the route, riders will get the answer to why the community’s power lines are mostly underground and get the answers to oft-asked questions about Columbia’s eyebrow-raising street names. They will also visit gravesites that predate Columbia, discover the early attempts to manage stormwater and learn how technology has changed current practice.
To accommodate families with young children, a shorter ride is available around Lake Elkhorn with enjoyable activities and fun facts about Columbia.
An important aspect of Columbia’s design was preservation of the land. The topography, stream beds and heavily wooded areas were preserved as much as possible. Lakes were created and pathways built to make the natural environment accessible. Columbia BikeAbout is an easy way to explore the extensive 95-mile pathway system, which contributes to the high quality of life that defines Columbia.
Columbia Association also is seeking volunteers, needed to assist with traffic control, directions, registration, and act as guides at places of interest along the route. Flexible shifts are available between the hours of 8:30am and 2pm. Training and a free T-shirt will be provided. For more information, email Columbia.Archives@ColumbiaAssociation.org or call 410-715-6781.
Columbia BikeAbout is brought to you by Columbia Association’s (CA) Columbia Archives and Open Space Management Division.
Columbia Archives, which collects and preserves the history of Columbia, is located in CA Headquarters at 6310 Hillside Court, off Stevens Forest Road. It is open Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm. The collection covers the planning and development of Columbia as well as the extensive James Rouse Collection, which chronicles Rouse’s long career that influenced urban and suburban development in the United States and around the world. It is rich with correspondence, speeches, photographs and memorabilia. The public is welcome to visit and spend time researching to get a deeper understanding of the history of Columbia. Appointments are encouraged. For more information, call 410-715-3103 or visit ColumbiaArchives.org.
About Columbia Association
Columbia Association (CA) is a nonprofit community services corporation that manages Columbia, Maryland, a planned community that is home to approximately 100,000 people and several thousand businesses. Additional information about CA is available at columbiaassociation.org.
