From our executive director: A fun new ride to grow the Greenway

For several years, I've been excited about the potential of a big bike ride that conveys our vision of connecting communities and expanding what's possible for everyone to enjoy on two wheels. But I knew the timing needed to be right. As we complete the Week A Year Tour next month and ride to the Keys, we are beginning to set our sights on an accessible experience in a region with tens of millions of people. In May of 2020 we will launch a two-day East Coast Greenway ride between our two biggest cities, New York and Philadelphia.

The route through the region is roughly half on paths separated from car traffic and half on a mix of roads from low-stress neighborhood streets to more challenging stretches on faster roads. The ride is a fundraiser that aims to invest significant proceeds into improving the safety of the region's route for cyclists, runners, and walkers in the years ahead. 

So far, the response to the ride has been unprecedented for our organization. Over 2,000 people have signed onto an interest list for the 500-person ride. We're opening registration soon, and I'm eager to see if we can make this the most effective event in our organization's history in terms of raising resources to develop the region's Greenway as well as raising awareness — we want to keep growing Greenway use toward becoming the most popular park in America. 

I'm so excited to see what we can achieve together with this new event made possible by key partners such as the William Penn Foundation and GSK. I hope to see you there next May 16-17 as a participant or volunteer as we explore from the Big Apple to the Big Pretzel, with a great tour of the Garden State in between. If this ride goes well, we may put on similar rides between cities throughout our corridor in future years to accelerate Greenway development and to build community, connecting our amazing neighborhoods. 

Watch your email for news of ride registration opening, then register early to get a chance to see history, nature, and culture from the best vantage point — by bike! 

To a healthy & sustainable tomorrow,

Dennis

Dennis Markatos-Soriano, executive director

Read more of our October 2019 On the Greenway newsletter