WASHINGTON — On a chilly night in March, the 1990s were making a comeback for a few hours. Hundreds of bicyclists assembled in Dupont Circle on a frigid Thursday night in preparation to take over the streets of D.C. in 20-plus-year-old garb.
Once a month, a loose-knit group known as 'DC Bike Party' organizes massive group rides along different pre-planned routes through Washington.
There's always a theme. On this evening, it was 90's night.
I indeed got the '90s memo but chose instead to don multiple layers and gloves that ultimately proved not up to the task. I did, however, conduct my first ever solo interview from a moving bicycle. More on that in a moment.
"DC Bike Party is all about just gathering together a group of random cyclists from all around D.C., Maryland and Virginia," said organizer Sage Raindancer, who discussed the group with me before departing our Dupont Circle meet-up spot.
There were bikes with flashing lights. Vintage bikes. Road bikes. Mountain bikes. Even rideshare bikes. Others showed up riding a motorized one-wheel (a contraption that looks like a skateboard with one big wheel in the center of it). There was even a guy on roller skates.
Aided by a cyclist hauling two massive speakers that looked like cannons, the group set off down Massachusetts Avenue rocking out to DJ Kool and some enormous bass drops.
No one was here to impress with their bike skills or speed. That wasn't the kind of party one woman was looking for as she told me she shunned the "endurance-riding, spandex bro culture."
Instead, it was a gathering of like-minded people who wanted to ride their bikes at a conversational pace through our magnificent city without the fear of being squashed by a commuter or distracted rideshare driver.
"It's just fun to be a part of something with a lot of other people who are into the same stuff you are," said rider Andrew Deglin.
"What's the vibe?" I asked.
"Cheerful. Energetic. Joyous," he replied.
Indeed it was. Even as we peddled over the Key Bridge turning our heads to see the Kennedy Center glistening in Ukrainian yellow and blue and past the Embassy of Ukraine after taking a right turn on M Street.
This ride also had the purpose of raising funds for Razom, a nonprofit providing critical supplies to the war-torn country and amplifying the voices of its residents and refugees.
"Extremely empowering," said organizer Nadiya Kutishcheva of the vibe among the group. "This is a wonderful place for first-time riders who are not that comfortable with urban cycling to come out and give it a try. It feels very, very safe to be in a pack. There's a wonderful, beautiful community feeling here and there's always a theme so we express ourselves a little. It's fun!"
There were plenty of people making a return visit to DC Bike Party, but also plenty of folks who this was their first outing with the group.
"I'm new to D.C. I need to make friends," said Amila Lulo who recently moved to the area from France. "So I literally went into Google and I was like (mimics typing) 'DC bike groups'. I love social cycling and I just wanted to meet some people and this seemed like the perfect environment."
"This is about my ninth in a row," said Steven Diatz. "This group of organized bike riders are just the best people ever and there's a real spirit of adventure."
Armed with a swiveled GoPro camera affixed to my bike and a small microphone, I interviewed one woman as we cruised down M street in the heart of Georgetown.
"It's a really cool community to be a part of. It's fantastic. I love it. It's my second time. It's a perfect social pace and nothing feels better than taking over the streets from the cars," she said. You'll forgive me for not getting her name as I was focused mainly on not dying.
The group slowed and stopped for traffic signals as we wound through the city. As the lights changed though, an organizer would block traffic so the entire group could make its way through in one pass.
Honestly, most drivers didn't seem to mind the delay and many, including pedestrians, cheered us on as we gently careened down the roads.
"We're definitely taking over the streets. But in a polite and respectful way," said another woman.
In total, it was an eight-mile ride that took us through downtown and into Georgetown, over the Key Bridge into Virginia and back. There was a halfway stop at Freedom Plaza and then the ride continued and terminated at a bar in Southeast D.C.
If you can ride a bicycle, definitely add DC Bike Party to your 'must do' list.
From household personal care to pantry needs, The Rounds helps people eliminate the amount of plastic they use with their zero-waste refill and delivery service.