After the sun sets on Saturday, August 29, a full moon will provide illumination as bicyclists ride along Rosedale Lake, through meadows and under the tree canopy in wooded sections of Mercer Meadows in Hopewell Township. They will be participating in the second annual Super Moon Bike Ride at Mercer Meadows, sponsored by the Lawrence Hopewell Trail and Mercer County Park Commission.
All riders ages 12 and up are invited to participate in the six-mile loop along the Lawrence Hopewell Trail, the Maidenhead Trail and the Twin Pines Trail. The ride, expected to take about 45 minutes, is free to all, although donations are greatly appreciated. Advanced registration for every rider in the family is highly recommended.
This year’s ride will be fully staffed with volunteer trail guides, and the LHT and Mercer Meadows are taking many additional steps to ensure smooth riding. In the inaugural Super Moon Ride last August, a whopping 500 people participated, about 400 more than expected based on advance online registrations.
At the fun bicycle ride, limited glow sticks will be provided to light up participants’ bikes. Bike lights will be available for a nominal charge. Ice cream vendors will be on hand, too. Helmets are required for all riders between 12 and 17, in accordance with New Jersey law.
The LHT and Mercer Meadows are hosting this now 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.
To register, visit lhtrail.org.
