Home » (DATE CHANGE) Third Annual LHT Full Moon Ride to be hosted by Lawrence Hopewell Trail and Mercer County Park Commission

(DATE CHANGE) Third Annual LHT Full Moon Ride to be hosted by Lawrence Hopewell Trail and Mercer County Park Commission

by MercerMe Staff

Adults and youngsters aged 12 up are invited to join hundreds of bicyclists expected to participate in a six-mile, late-night ride through the open meadows and dark woods lit by a full moon on SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 17 (this is the date change from the original August date). That’s when the third annual LHT Full Moon Bike Ride will be held at Mercer Meadows. 

Sponsored by the Lawrence Hopewell Trail and the Mercer County Park Commission, the ride kicks off at 9:30 pm, but riders should give themselves time to sign in for the event. Pre-registration at the LHT website, www.lhtrail.org, is strongly recommended and will speed up the preliminaries, according to Jay Watson, LHT board member and curator of the Full Moon Ride.

“We hope individuals and families will join us for this late night ride. From 9:30 on, riders will begin the six-mile trek as they arrive,” Watson said. “This ride takes cyclists through one of New Jersey’s premier open spaces, Mercer Meadows, via the Lawrence Hopewell Trail, which serves as the backbone of an extensive trail system in the park.” From a starting gate at Rosedale Lake, riders will head to the Maidenhead Trail, on to the Twin Pines Trail, then back to Rosedale Park, in a ride expected to take about 45 minutes.

“We are very pleased to join with the Lawrence Hopewell Trail for the third year in a row, welcoming bicycling enthusiasts to our 1,600 acre park, which features scenic biking and walking opportunities through meadows and woodlands,” said Mercer County Executive Brian Hughes.

“The Mercer County Park Commission is dedicated to providing recreation opportunities and encouraging leisure time activities and preservation of open spaces, among other aims,” said Andrew R. Worek, president of the Mercer County Park Commission. “The LHT Full Moon Ride has become a wonderful annual event that brings residents out to see our parks in a different way and certainly at a different time of the day.”

At the fun bicycle ride, bike decorating will be encouraged and limited glow sticks will be provided to light up participants’ bikes.  Cyclists are encouraged to use bicycle headlights for the late night ride, and helmets are required. Local ice cream vendors will be at the event, selling their frozen concoctions.

LHT full moon 2016

The participation charge is $10 per cyclist, $20 per family, with funds used to help defray LHT’s operating costs and helping fund further trail construction and maintenance. Riders are encouraged to print out the registration form they are asked to complete in advance of the ride. Registration can also be completed the evening of the ride, but those who choose to register on-site should factor in extra time for registration.

Should there be any question about weather impacting the ride, please visit the LHT website on September 17 after 6 pm. The LHT will post information about cancellation, should that be necessary.

 About the Lawrence Hopewell Trail

The Lawrence Hopewell Trail (LHT) is a 22-mile bicycle and pedestrian recreational trail and transportation corridor through public and private lands in Lawrence and Hopewell Townships, Mercer County, N.J. The idea for the LHT grew out of a commitment to improving the quality of life for all who live or work in the region.  The LHT supports an active, livable, and sustainable community with alternative forms of transportation to reduce reliance on automobiles. It also promotes health and fitness, recreation, and outdoor education.  For more information, please visit www.lhtrail.org.

About Mercer Meadows

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 Full Moon Bike 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. Fishing is a popular activity at the park’s four water bodies.  For more information, please visit www.mercercountyparks.org.

Note: MercerMe publisher, founder and editor, Mary Galioto, is proud to serve on the Board of Trustees for the Lawrence Hopewell Trail.

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