RESTON, Va. — There are lots of holiday traditions, and for one group of families in Northern Virginia, each Thanksgiving begins early with a bike ride.
“It’s the best part of the day, by far” says organizer Marianne Curren, who started the Thanksgiving Day outings seven years ago.
The group gathered outside the Reston Town Center Starbucks for a mid-ride break for coffee and cocoa for the kids.
“We’ve come out here in the rain, blowing wind, freezing cold,” Curren says. “I think it’s always fun.”
Ashley Gurney, 9, took issue with the notion that the rides are always fun.
“Last year it was way too cold,” she says. But her motivation came straight from her dad. “My dad forced me to go.”
Looking back, she concedes it was fun, although she much preferred this Thanksgiving’s milder temperatures with a high in the low 60s.
Twin brothers Xander and Army Curren, 9-years-old, enjoy the rides that started before they could pedal for themselves.
Army describes what makes the tradition so special for him: “That I get Starbucks at the end!”
Xander, slurping the last of a drink through a straw agreed. He also enjoyed “Riding all the way here” on his bike. The families do a total of 10 miles.
Asa Gurney, 12, also joked that he liked filling up on a Starbucks drink mid-ride, but then said “I’m kidding, I just like riding here.”
Evie Leary, 14, said getting outdoors and hopping on a bike is a great way to start the day.
“It’s just fun to be with family and friends in the morning to start off a great Thanksgiving.”
A #Thanksgiving tradition for some Northern Virginia families … do you get up and out before turkey too? pic.twitter.com/vjcqewxwRU
— Kate Ryan (@KateRyanWTOP) November 26, 2015
