12th Annual Jingle Ride Rocks Boston!

On behalf of our entire Ciclismo Classico Team, I wish you all a wonderful and peaceful holiday season and an exciting and adventurous 2009. The Jingle Ride, a Ciclismo Classico tradition, is proof that even in this challenging economic year for all, there is still much to sing and be joyful about.

For the 12th year in a row over 50 spirited and costumed cyclists of all shapes, sizes and ages gathered in Arlington center for The Jingle Ride, a festive 20 mile caroling-costumed bike ride to Boston and back that this year raised $700 for Cycle Kids, a non-profit cycling education program for children. For my team, family and all of the loyal participants, the Jingle Ride is the highlight and festive launch of the holiday season. My 9- year old daughter Valentina (dressed as an angel) and 6 year-old Luca (dressed as a nutcracker) love the event and happily pedaled the whole way on the backs of our tandem. My pre-teen son Lorenzo, now too cool to wear a costume, managed to crack a smile and enjoy a candy cane or two.

The Jingle Ride’s success lies in the fact that it is free, fun and celebrates simple holiday traditions: Singing carols and connecting with the community. The temperatures were brisk but the sun was out and the roads were dry. This year we got lots of great press and were featured in The Boston Herald (on Tuesday 12/16), Boston Metro and were joined by a special guest, Chuck Nowlin from WZLX, 15-year veteran who handles one of the most successful afternoon drive shows in Boston featuring the Attitude Adjustment Hour. We even made the FOX ten o’clock news. Our lastest addition to the Ciclismo team, managing director, Andrew Conway (AKA Velo Fellow) captured the essence of the ride on posted this short Jingle Movie on Vimeo.

When I was pregnant with my first son, Lorenzo, I had the crazy idea of a bike ride that would combine my love of a parade with caroling and cycling. We put the word out in November and by the second Sunday in December 1997 the first Jingle Ride was born with 30 riders congregating on our front lawn. The simple joy of singing, biking and making onlookers smile with our costumes, decorated bikes and festive songs always makes the ride a great success. Never canceled by cold, rain or snow, our ride still takes the same wonderful Arlington-Cambridge-Boston route

We started in Arlington Center and rode down the minuteman bikeway, down Mass Ave to Harvard Square where we launched our caroling with Feliz Navidad, Santa Clause is coming to town and others. We then proceeded down the Storrow Drive side of the Charles River bikepath to the Hatchshell where took our traditional group photo.

Crossing Storrow Drive, we sang Santa Claus is Coming to town and Winter Wonderland as we rode down Charles St. The smiles that we brought to weary shoppers faces is always worth the trip. We always stop at the frog pond to serenade the ice skaters. Onto Downtown crossing where we invaded the cobblestone streets with our collective rendition of Sleigh Bells. People take pictures, sing along, point us out to their crying kids. I always work hard to get even the grumpiest shoppers to smile. It doesn’t take much when you are dressed in a Rudolf Costume riding a candy cane decorated tandem with a cute angel on the back and pulling a burley with a boom box and an angelically dressed American girl cuddled in a pillow.

Pedaling down Congress St, photographers from The Boston Herald and Boston Metro snapped away! We bid Chuck Norris goodbye in Quincy Market and we dispersed for warm lunch and drinks. From here we headed back through the public gardens and down Newbury St. for our traditional warped singing of the 12 days of Christmas. We usually make it to seven swans a swimming before we all go a bit brain dead but this year we had crib sheets on our handle bars. Even with tired voices and even more tired and cold bodies, the spirit was high!

We ended the ride pedaling back to Arlington via Central Square and Mass Ave and many versions of We are Having A Wonderful Christmas Time. Back to our house for our Post Jingle Party. Nothing like piping Hot Lasagne, some red wine and a warm fire to end this wonderful event.

Thank you loyal Jingle Riders! Thank you Joe, Andrew, Justin, Mauro (Santa!), Cristiano, Rachel, Natascia, Anna Maria, Janet, Chuck Nowlin and last but not least our crazy but enthusiastic kids and everyone who helped make our 12th Jingle Ride a Huge Success! See you next year! Happy Holidays!

How about starting your own Jingle Ride? It’s super easy and we are happy to help you plan and promote the event. You need a nice route, some passionate cyclists and some good cheer. Ciclismo Alumni and fellow cycling advocate Rob Miceli is launching the first Jingle on the Cape Ride. Here are the details:

What: Jingle on the Cape Ride
When: DECEMBER 20, 11AM
Where: Cape Cod and the Islands Chapter Jingle Bells Ride, Woods Hole MA
12 miles, flat terrain. Join vocal local bicyclists for a cold ride-and-sing with a warm finish.

Begin at Pie in the Sky Bakery, Water St. Woods Hole. We will carol for a while, then ride via Shining Sea Bikeway to Falmouth Public Library for more caroling, then on to Falmouth Mall for another round. Return via Bikeway to Pie in the Sky for hot drinks, baked goods, and camaraderie.

Leaders: Rob Miceli: rmiceli22@comcast.net (508-776-9290) and Ed Gross: edwgross@comcast.net (508-423-3858).

NOTE: Weather postponement, if necessary, will be announced on Cape and Islands newsgroup: http://groups.google.com/group/massbike-cape-and-islands