Attention Tour-ists: you have 65 days left to get in shape (as of 8/2)!

Lois Levin, Henry Finch and I have spent the last several weeks finalizing the 26+ mile, tour-safe route for the Oct. 6 Tour de Newton. It has been an absolute blast finding the centers of all 13 villages, parks in the midst of commercial centers and along the route, and seeing how the outside routes of Newton are surprisingly bike-friendly. And riding the Tour, we found how lovely Newton looks from atop two wheels!

The Tour is free, safe, and available to anyone (although if you are under 14, you need to bring a bicycling adult along). Tour leaders (guides?) will demonstrate safe bicycling skills, and each of the 13 rides (one from each village) will be No Rider Left Behind. You can challenge yourself to ride the whole thing, or just a few bits. We’ll have the route and maps online for anyone who wants to do the ride alone.

Icing on the cake: Jerry Reilly and Alicia Bowman are finding village volunteers to meet riders in each village, show them where the water fountain/coffee shop/best bar are located, and give them those iconic buttons–there may even be coupons and WellCoins in the mix. If you want to greet, rather than ride, contact Jerry (he gave his email in this link).