Testimonials from Past Events

"Fish Hawk 2003 - The weather wasn't great, but everything else was! Flat, scenic roads, super nice people, a worthy cause and lots of baked goods - we'll be back next year." Great Outdoors Magazine

"Just wanted to say thank you for the hospitality and the ride. Once again you did an excellent job of arranging and plotting the course. I had a wonderful time out there. I can't wait until next year. " Jay the Animal, Newark, DE

"I wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed the Fish Hawk this past Saturday. The route was just wonderful. I have lived in this area for 10 years, and found myself loving the areas on the ride, which I have never seen before. I can't wait to get out and ride the roads of Somerset County again! Is it too soon to sign up for next year?" Ashley, Salisbury, MD

"Congratulations to everyone on a job well done. The weather was great, the food was delicious and everyone was friendly. Hope you do it again next year." Tim, Kensington, MD

"Excellent ride on Saturday. I thought it was very well organized. I look forward to next year." Karri, Secretary, MD

"Great ride! Looking forward to next year." Frank, Somers Point, NJ

"Just wanted to let you know that the ride was great! Rest stops were well chosen, snacks ample and tasty (I ate too much), traffic was nil, volunteers friendly, SAG patrols frequent, and roads smooth and clean. Best yet, we couldn't have asked for a nicer day. This being my first serious ride of the season (my usual first ride was canceled, which is why I chose to do the Fish Hawk Tour), I was moving slow and finished tired and sore, but I did it and that's what counts. Hope to see you next time." Ron, Chevy Chase, MD

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is a Fish Hawk?

A: Fish Hawk is the local name for Osprey, a large bird of prey which not so long ago was endangered but is now making an incredible come back. Mount Vernon is home to dozens of nesting pairs, including one that annually builds its home atop the Asbury Church steeple.

Q: Why did you organize this ride?

A: I organized this ride to celebrate good old-fashioned bike riding and good old-fashioned volunteer fire departments, in particular the Mt. Vernon Volunteer Fire Department. Why I wanted to organized a ride is because cycling is the best sport in the world.

Q: What makes a successful organized ride?

A: Organization. The thing I like most about well-run rides is their laid back atmospheres. An organization that thinks ahead can really create a cool experience for bike riders and volunteers alike. I'm 30 now, but when I started riding in the mid-80's, people would show up to these kinds of events in jeans and sneakers, t-shirts, whatever. I know things have changed since then, but I'm going for that same vibe. (Extra credit to anyone who shows up with toe-clips, black socks, wool jerseys or exposed brake cables.)
     Since the late 1990's, organized rides have proven very popular and many groups use them now to earn money for charitable organizations, which is great. The Fish Hawk benefits the Mount Vernon Volunteer Fire Department. However, I feel like a lot of organized rides these days are fund-raisers first and bike rides second. Somewhere in all the fund-raising we've forgotten how fun it is to ride a bike with other people. The Fish Hawk is designed to be the best bike ride possible, nothing more. Chalk it up to nostalgia.

Q: What is the route like? Why did you add a 7-mile route?

A: Our route is flat and rural, and on Saturday morning, almost devoid of car traffic in certain parts. Some roads feel like bike paths. As for the course itself, Somerset County is essentially a maze of paved farm roads perfectly suited to that old throw-back kind of road riding, nothing much to do, nowhere really to go, just you and your friends and your bikes. Choosing the route was simply a matter of stringing together the most beautiful portions of those roads. My rule: if a stretch has one of those squiggly winding road signs, it's on the route. My friend Erick calls it "constant discovery." Every turn presents a new world. We even finish with a tour of the historic UMES campus, brick walks and all. We added the 7-mile route to encourage as many people as possible to enjoy Somerset cycling.

Q: How previous Fish Hawk Festivals gone?

A: Great. Absolute blast. We had 200 riders in our first year, about triple what we expected, and the feedback was uniformly superb. Last year we were geared up to host 600 riders, which was scary and exciting at the same time, until we had a week of rainy forecasts. It didn't actually rain, but it was touch and go until the start and that kept a lot of people away. Even so we had about 250 riders, who heartily enjoyed food for 600!

Q: Why don't you offer t-shirts with your registration fee?

A: The whole point is to make our event accessible for as many people as possible, no matter what income level, no matter what ability, no matter what age. Our $15 entry fee is about as low as we can go and still organize a solid ride. Any event that offers you a t-shirt as part of your registration fee has already embedded the price of the t-shirt, meaning you HAVE to buy the t-shirt whether you want it or not. We don't feel comfortable doing that, so while we're definitely selling t-shirts, we're only selling them to folks who want them.

Q: Why don't you offer a century (100 mile) route?

A: Our ride is the last Saturday in April, a time of year in which most people have barely begun riding again. A century is a long ride for any time of year, much less the spring. We know centuries are very popular, but the last thing we want to do is burn people out before May.

Q: Why don't you offer refunds?

A: It takes a lot of up-front money to organize a good bike ride. Insurance, publicity, food, t-shirts, everything has to be purchased before the day of the ride, sometimes weeks and months in advance. The reason bike tours offer a discount for registering early is to encourage people to send us the money we need to put the ride on in the first place. By the time you arrive on ride day, your pre-registration money has been spent to give you the best experience possible.

Q: Any regrets?

A: None. The whole process has been great.

--- Jeff Dean
     Fish Hawk Organizer