Reflections on the 2024 Heart of Virginia Bike Festival

by Gregg Hillmar, Event Director

As I look back on the event, I can’t tell you how proud I was! Of RABA in general, of our volunteers, and of those who rode the Heart of Virginia Bicycle Festival.

At around 3:30 pm on Saturday, I yelled and applauded as the last HoVA riders got back to Hanover Courthouse. One of these riders had never ridden a long ride before, and we were all so excited to celebrate a CENTURY ride as this rider crossed the finish line. Exhausted but exhilarated. Equally as exciting were the folks riding with a professional rider who now lives and works and rides with RABA who finished the ride hours before, but with the same exhilaration and joy.

With me as that last rider returned were a handful of folks working communications and the last of several SAG drivers, one of whom followed these riders for the last 20 miles, and several other volunteers. These folks stayed because there was still work to do, and continued to help for the next 45 minutes or so until the last of the food was eaten and the trash hauled away and the last of the signs on the road were picked up. This is the RABA spirit and the joy of our volunteers. RABA members do love to ride, but we also like to HELP people who love to ride.

Thursday before the ride, the marking team struggled against wet roads; some volunteers brought their gas-powered leaf blowers to dry the pavement. Between Thursday and Friday, 12 volunteers spent over 8 hours putting down the turn indications at each intersection.

Saturday morning, several of our SAG staff rode out before the riders to check all intersections to make sure the markers were still in place. Circulating through the three courses all day, this SAG team kept track of where riders were, and who needed help. Response time for reported incidents was fast, with the longest at about 18 minutes. We had an amazing team this year!

Nutrition and hydration at rest stops was appreciated, and new rest stops or new volunteers at rest stops were very popular.

The metric route was brand new this year, and a big shout-out to a new stop at St. David’s Church in Aylett for enthusiastically supporting our ride and our charity partners.

In their third year of support, Tappahannock Presbyterian Church and Shiloh United Methodist Church were again instrumental in our success.

We moved the rest stop in Walkerton to the boat landing parking lot, with the blessing of long-time supporter Scott’s Store. Many people commented on the more scenic view of the Mattaponi river at the new site.

Our friends at Mt. Vernon UM Church remain stalwart supporters. As the rest stop that all routes go through, this rest stop got a lot of love this year, with the BLACK GIRLS DO BIKE organization volunteering at that rest stop. What a wonderful time was had by all!

Send ALL of our rest stop sponsors a postcard or email saying thanks!

Volunteers (uhhhhmmmmm – US!) have been working on this event officially since January and unofficially since last September and before. Few club members know the hours of work and organization that goes on.

I have a background in event management and theatre production management, which is my main focus. I have produced events that take over entire cities with more than 23,000 attendees. I am far prouder of HoVA than years of such events. And I can’t think of a better batch of people that I would want to work with on this, or any, event than the committee and, especially this year, the volunteers that support the Heart of Virginia Bicycle Festival

Thank You.