500 Cyclists Sweep Through Severna Park In Inaugural Lifeline Century Ride

Before the sun had fully risen on the chilly morning of Sunday, October 19, more than 500 cyclists departed Kinder Farm Park for 100-, 56- and 15-mile routes around the county as part of the inaugural Lifeline 100 Century Ride. Coordinated by the Anne Arundel County Department of Recreation and Parks in conjunction with the Anne Arundel County Police Department and the Bicycle Advocates for Annapolis and Anne Arundel (Bike AAA), the event drew participants from beyond Severna Park - from across the mid-Atlantic area - for cycling tours through downtown Annapolis, along the Severn River, through South and West County, around the BWI Airport and along the B&A Trail.

“This was a landmark event for Anne Arundel County, as there has never been a cycling event of this scale covering such a wide area of our beautiful county,” explained Jon Korin, president of Bike AAA, which promotes safe cycling for recreation and transportation.

One of the long-term goals of Bike AAA when the group formed a little more than a year ago, Korin said, was to create a signature event for Anne Arundel County. Similarly, the county’s Department of Recreation and Parks wanted an occasion that would unite the many hiking and biking trails, and Chief Kevin Davis of the police department wanted a signature function that would provide community outreach. The result of the collaboration, however, surpassed what any of the organizations expected or could have done single-handedly.

Carolyn Ryan, marketing and events manager with Parks & Recreation, pointed out that the success of Lifeline 100 was that it brought so much attention to the area - it provided a physical activity that united residents, drew visitors and raised money for important nonprofit organizations. “All the funds are staying in Anne Arundel County to help Anne Arundel County residents,” she added.

In addition to Bike AAA, beneficiaries of the day were the Anne Arundel Crisis Response System, which collaborates with local law enforcement agencies to ensure those with mental illness receive proper treatment rather than incarceration, and Recreation Deeds for Special Needs, which provides recreational opportunities to all citizens, including those with challenges or obstacles due to disabilities, financial difficulties or environmental barriers.

Cyclists in the Lifeline Century Ride returned from their journeys throughout the late morning and early afternoon, and their enthusiasm could hardly be contained. “I’ve done 17 centuries and this was the best,” said one cyclist. “The route was great and diverse,” said another. “I saw parts of the county - and hills - I was not familiar with.” For some riders, this route was the farthest they had ever gone.

The excitement continued at Kinder Farm Park with a children’s bike rodeo, in which youngsters were able to demonstrate their safety knowledge by cycling through an obstacle course, and the Make Health Happen Community Health Fair, where kids and adults alike were able to discover the wonders of wellness from the Healthy Anne Arundel Coalition, a group of local hospitals, health providers and public agencies.

Overall, Korin observed, the day exceeded the expectations of all who were involved in making it happen, and its success has practically guaranteed that it will become an annual event for the county and possibly have long-lasting effects. “To have an event like this here in Severna Park, right in our backyard, it’s great,” Korin concluded, citing that the tourism and fundraising boosts the local economy, and that that the celebration of cycling helps citizens recognize the environmental, health and traffic benefits of biking as a means of transportation - a huge part of Bike AAA’s goal. “If Anne Arundel County wants to compete with other places and attract the next generation as an ideal place to live, it needs to become more bike-able and walkable,” Korin summarized. “We need the infrastructure to support that.”