Ride, baby, ride! Bike Virginia is coming to town.
If traveling the roads around Staunton, Augusta County, Rockingham County, and Harrisonburg this weekend, you may encounter some of the 2,000 bicyclists who will be taking part in the 23rd annual Bike Virginia tour.
The cyclists, expected to ride 50 miles a day on pre-planned routes throughout the beautiful central Shenandoah Valley, will base out of Staunton during the five-day event. The extended forecast for the weekend is calling for continued summer temperatures around 90 degrees with high humidity and a chance of thunderstorms.
Such an influx of visitors is expected to bring $3.1 million to local economies, a welcome boost in an area that has seen its share of economic worries during the financial downturn. While 1,200 bikers are expected to camp out at a Staunton school, the remainder will be staying in local hotels, eating at local restaurants, buying gas, groceries, and spending money around town.
Events and activities have been planned for the cyclists in their off time. After check-in on Friday, they are invited to a pool party and movie in Staunton’s Gypsy Hill Park, and will receive free tickets to the Staunton Braves baseball game that night. On Saturday a beer festival is planned at the Frontier Culture Museum. Downtown Staunton will host a Sunday Jazz Festival. Monday evening features Bike Bash in the ‘Berg with live music and partying in downtown Harrisonburg.
Bike Virginia ends on June 30 when 2,000 cyclists will pack up and head home, leaving behind some happy merchants. The school grounds will be cleaned up behind the campers, directional signs will be removed from routes, and the area will settle back into a drowsy summer routine.
