Check-in time for this year’s Full Moon Ride, a special night hosted by the Lawrence Hopewell Trail and the Mercer County Park Commission, is 9 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 29, at the parking lot at Rosedale Lake in Mercer Meadows, Hopewell Township.
As many as 600 bicyclists ages 12 and up are expected at the second annual nighttime ride on a 6-mile loop along Rosedale Lake through meadows and under the tree canopy in wooded sections.
Local bicycle shops have been invited to set up and assist bicyclists along the route, which will take riders along the Lawrence Hopewell Trail, the Maidenhead Trail and the Twin Pines Trail.
There also will be ice cream sold by Purple Cow Ice Cream, of Lawrenceville, and Uncle Ed’s Creamery, of Pennington. Also at the event, glow sticks will be provided at no cost to light up participants’ bikes, and bike lights will be available for purchase.
Advance registration for every rider in the family is recommended at www.lhtrail.org. Online registration closes at 5 p.m. Aug. 29, but registration can be completed in person that evening.
Jay Watson, LHT board member and curator of the ride, said this year’s ride will be staffed with volunteer trail guides, and the LHT and Mercer Meadows are taking many additional steps to ensure smooth riding.
In the inaugural ride last August, 500 people participated, about 400 more than expected based on advance online registrations.
“We encourage people to check in before 9 p.m., and we will begin rolling out at 9 when we expect the full moon to be fully visible,” Mr. Watson said. “We also encourage people to use front lights on their bicycles, especially in the canopied areas of the route, which can be quite dark.”
The Lawrence Hopewell Trail is one of many trails that make up the Greater Philadelphia region’s trail network — the Circuit. During registration, there also will be information on the 300+ miles of Circuit trails.
The LHT and Mercer Meadows are hosting this annual event to take advantage of the visibility provided by the full moon, also known as a perigee moon, when the moon does its closest fly-by of the earth, making the moon appear much larger than usual, Mr. Watson said.
Helmets are required for all riders between 12 and 17, in accordance with New Jersey law. The ride, expected to take about 45 minutes, is free to all, although donations to the Lawrence Hopewell Trail will be accepted.
Should there be any question about weather impacting the ride, visit the LHT website Aug. 29 around 5 p.m. The LHT will post information about cancellation, should that be necessary.
The Lawrence Hopewell Trail is a 20-mile+ bicycle and pedestrian trail and transportation corridor through public and private land in Lawrence and Hopewell townships in Mercer County. The idea for the LHT grew out of a commitment to improving the quality of life for all of those who work in the region.
The LHT supports an active, livable and sustainable community with alternative forms of transportation to reduce the reliance on automobiles. It also promotes health and fitness, recreation and outdoor education.
The LHT is a key member of the Circuit Coalition, a 750-mile network of bicycle and pedestrian trails connecting people to jobs, communities and parks in the Greater Philadelphia Region.
For more information about the LHT, visit www.lhtrail.org.
The Mercer County Park Commission manages diverse offerings within its more than 10,000 acres of parks, recreational facilities and open space throughout Mercer County.
Mercer Meadows, where the ride will take place, consists of more than 1,600 acres, divided among five separate districts. Miles of mowed and gravel trails provide visitors and their families with scenic walking and biking routes through the meadows and woodland.
For more information, visit www.mercercountyparks.org.
