Saturday, June 16 rides will have a mass start at the Williamsburg Woodlands Hotel at 8:30 a.m.  All rides will circle the Colonial Williamsburg Historic Area and ride down historic Duke of Gloucester Street before heading out of town. The route goes by some of the City’s older residential neighborhoods, as well as the William & Mary School of Education. Williamsburg Police will direct traffic at five critical intersections. These routes take full advantage of the beautiful country roads surrounding our state and local parks. Each ride has a detailed map and cue sheet, plus a link to the RideWithGPS file. Rides are also listed on the RideWithGPS Event Page for the Eastern Tandem Rally. Printed maps and cue sheets will be available at registration.

The 36-Mile Ride branches off from the longer rides at mile 6.1, riding through several Williamsburg subdivisions and a short stretch of Richmond Road before entering the Waller Mill Trail – a paved rail trail that was one of the areas first major bicycle improvements in the early 1990s. Midway along the trail at mile 10.1 there will be a Cookie Stop at Williamsburg’s beautiful Waller Mill Park. The park surrounds the City’s drinking water reservoir. Leaving the Cookie Stop the route follows a variety of roads in James City and York Counties on its way toward our lunch stop at  York River State Park (9801 York River Park Road, Williamsburg, VA 23188). Following lunch, the ride loops around on rural roads before rejoining the Waller Mill Trail and heading back to the Hotel. To make sure the 36-mile riders do not feel left out, we have included one of our iconic cycling hills on the return after lunch. Our local “riding hills” generally mean descending to a creek bed and climbing back out of it. The hill is on Fenton Mill Road, and is a gentle 1% average grade for 1.5 miles following a 0.6 mile descent to Skimino Creek. 

• ETR Williamsburg – Saturday Short Ride 36 Miles Map & Cues
• RideWithGPS File – 36-Mile Ride

• The 46-Mile Ride turns onto Longhill Road at mile 6.1, riding down the long hill on the way to the Warhill Sports Complex, which hosts most local sporting events for James City County league play and tournaments. Leaving the Sports Complex the route proceeds to one of our iconic cycling hills – Carwash Hill. Our local “riding hills” generally mean descending to a creek bed and climbing back out of it. Why “Carwash Hill?” Local cycling historian Michael Kaspareck says that “late 20th century cyclist’s lore had it that people living nearby washed their cars in the creek. It’s much more likely that a solitary, slightly delirious bicycler once thought he saw someone washing something that looked like a car at the bottom of the hill, then told his tale to embellishers.” After climbing out of the creek bed, the route passes the Little Creek Reservoir, a major water supply reservoir for the City of Newport News. There is a rest stop at Little Creek Reservoir Park at mile 19.3, and then the route passes by beautiful farmland on its way to York River State Park (9801 York River Park Road, Williamsburg, VA 23188) – the lunch stop for all Saturday rides. On the way back from lunch, you will have an opportunity to climb another iconic hill – Campground Hill. Look for the KOA Campground sign. The route continues on rural roads and traverses the Waller Mill Trail – a paved trail that was one of the area’s first major bicycle improvements in the early 1990s. You will pass by the Waller Mill Reservoir, the source of Williamsburg’s drinking water. After exiting the trail the route heads back to the Hotel.
• ETR Williamsburg Saturday Medium Ride 46 Miles Map & Cues
• RideWithGPS File – 46-Mile Ride

The 62-Mile Ride takes the 46-mile ride and adds an additional 16 mile loop through western James City County with a second chance to stop at the Little Creek Reservoir Park rest stop at mile 34.5. (USE CAUTION ON THE 16-MILE LOOP ON BARNES ROAD AND RACEFIELD DRIVE DUE TO GRAVEL IN THE ROAD AND POTHOLES).

• ETR Williamsburg Saturday Long Ride 62 Miles Map & Cues
• RideWithGPS File – 62-Mile Ride

 

The Lunch Stop is at York River State Park at mile 19.6 for the 36-mile ride, mile 32.0 for the 46-mile ride and mile 47.2 for the 62 mile ride. Lunch will be served from 11:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m., and is catered by regionally famous Pierce’s Pitt Bar-B-Que. 

If you have questions about the routes, email Reed at reednester@gmail.com.