La Piazza Blog & Stories
80+ Cyclists Pedal & Sing at the 18th Annual Jingle Ride!
18 years ago, my dear cycling pal and colleague Carol Sicbaldi and I were pedaling on a cold November day and came up with a silly little Ciclismo ride to celebrate the holidays. Add my love of parades, singing Christmas carols and (occasionally) acting foolish, the Jingle Ride was born (three months before my first son Lorenzo now 17 years old and pictured below).
That year (1996) a dozen people showed up on my front lawn in costume, ready to roll and its become annual holiday tradition ever since. Over the 18 years that I have led the event we have cycled in snow, rain, sub-zero temperatures but the Jingle Ride has NEVER been cancelled and is always a highlight of my holiday season. Luckily I now have the talented Karin Turer promoting the event and my amazing Ciclismo team (led by Marc Mastrolia the bear) running the ride behind the scenes.
Now all three of my kids (Lorenzo, Luca and Valentina) participate aswell as my great Ciclismo team and even bring their family along like Lauren Lasky who came with her parents and uncle (pictured below)! Woohoo!
As most wonderful things in the world, it takes a village and each year riders of all shapes and sizes dress up, decorate their bikes and join in on the fun. Along the way we always encounter shoppers who smile and line the streets to take our pictures and to sing along. This year’s splendid sunshine and fair temperatures resulted in over 100 riders! Our merry, caroling 20 mile route goes along the Minute Man, down Mass Ave to Harvard Square and then along the Charles River to the Hatch Shell, along Charles Street sining Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer to the Frog pond where we sing as loud as we can to drown out the disco skating music.
From the Frog Pond we hit downtown crossing and land in front of the largest Christmas Tree in New England. We refuel in Faneuil Hall and then depart for the Grand Finale ride down Newbury Street which we take over en masse singing The 12 Days of Christmas (badly) at least three times before we rest our vocal cords and return to Arlington.
From Newbury Street the horses, reindeer and festive cyclists bolted back to the Menotomy Grill in Arlington MA where BBQ chicken, fried pickles and plenty pizza and IPA awaited. On the 13th day of Christmas we rest and are fulfilled.
“Merry Christmas and God Bless Us Everyone”
Yours truly in pedaling fun, Rudolph!
MORE PICTURES ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE
That year (1996) a dozen people showed up on my front lawn in costume, ready to roll and its become annual holiday tradition ever since. Over the 18 years that I have led the event we have cycled in snow, rain, sub-zero temperatures but the Jingle Ride has NEVER been cancelled and is always a highlight of my holiday season. Luckily I now have the talented Karin Turer promoting the event and my amazing Ciclismo team (led by Marc Mastrolia the bear) running the ride behind the scenes.
Now all three of my kids (Lorenzo, Luca and Valentina) participate aswell as my great Ciclismo team and even bring their family along like Lauren Lasky who came with her parents and uncle (pictured below)! Woohoo!
As most wonderful things in the world, it takes a village and each year riders of all shapes and sizes dress up, decorate their bikes and join in on the fun. Along the way we always encounter shoppers who smile and line the streets to take our pictures and to sing along. This year’s splendid sunshine and fair temperatures resulted in over 100 riders! Our merry, caroling 20 mile route goes along the Minute Man, down Mass Ave to Harvard Square and then along the Charles River to the Hatch Shell, along Charles Street sining Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer to the Frog pond where we sing as loud as we can to drown out the disco skating music.
From the Frog Pond we hit downtown crossing and land in front of the largest Christmas Tree in New England. We refuel in Faneuil Hall and then depart for the Grand Finale ride down Newbury Street which we take over en masse singing The 12 Days of Christmas (badly) at least three times before we rest our vocal cords and return to Arlington.
From Newbury Street the horses, reindeer and festive cyclists bolted back to the Menotomy Grill in Arlington MA where BBQ chicken, fried pickles and plenty pizza and IPA awaited. On the 13th day of Christmas we rest and are fulfilled.
“Merry Christmas and God Bless Us Everyone”
Yours truly in pedaling fun, Rudolph!
MORE PICTURES ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE