Spring 2023
Green Fondo Virginia
Spend six days cycling through Southern California’s beautiful desert landscapes
About the Ride
Join Green Fondo, the cycling celebration for sustainability and bike advocacy
Join the interest list for next time!
Front Royal, Virginia
100% of funds raised go to beneficiary grants. With three route options each day, there’s a sweet ride for seasoned to novice cyclists. Live in DC? We’ll have a shuttle to/from DC. Ride through wine country in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah National Park, and the Shenandoah River Valley. Take a weekend to pedal for the planet and be a part of creating a positive impact for the future. Bikes + Sustainability = Awesome!
Event Details
Positive Planet Impact
Full Event Story
Green Fondo is here! Green Fondo is our sustainably focused take on the Gran Fondo-style rides. We’re gathering to celebrate the planet while bringing people together to enjoy great cycling. We’ll have a cycling village near Front Royal, Virginia at the 4-H Conference and Education Center. Cyclists can overnight, enjoy food and drink, entertainment, and meet with new friends and thought leaders. Our camp is right on the Appalachian Trail so non-cyclists can join the cause and be a part of all the action in camp. Proceeds benefit organizations dedicated to climate, clean energy, and bike advocacy.
You can choose from our full list of beneficiaries and proceeds will be distributed to the Climate Ride grants program based on your beneficiary selection. You will have access to our superb personal fundraising software and the full support of our team. Participants may select their beneficiaries from our list of more than 100 extraordinary non-profit organizations.
For this 2-day event, there will be cycling mileages for all types of riders – you can choose from Grande, Medio, & Piccolo options each day. We will have several mileage options on both days of the event including a hiking option for non-riding cyclists. (More details on the routes will be available in your ride guide.) This event style has something for everyone and provides an atmosphere where family, friends, and colleagues can all enjoy a cycling event together. Green Fondo is not timed because we want you to enjoy the bike ride the way you want to ride! There are lovely stops along the way where you can enjoy beautiful surroundings and new friends. From e-bikes to race bikes, all are welcome.
Photo Gallery
Itinerary Overview
Itinerary subject to change, your Ride Guide will include full details.
Friday
3:00 PM – Free optional shuttle from Washington DC to our awesome camp
5:30 PM –7:30 PM: Event Registration opens
7:30 PM – Welcome reception with snacks and beverages
Saturday
Route: Skyline Sights Route – 27 or 36 miles 2,200-3,000 feet of climbing (need a boost up a hill? Just ask our support team!)
6:00 AM – Breakfast available
8:30 AM – Shuttle to Shenandoah Park entrance
10:00 AM – Begin riding
Noon – Lunch on route
Route: Blue Ridge Ramble – 50 Miles, 4,700 feet of climbing
6:00 AM – Breakfast available
8:30 AM – Shuttle to Luray
9:30 AM – Begin riding
Noon – Lunch on route
Route: Shenandoah Epic – 90 miles, 7,700 feet of climbing
6:00 AM – Breakfast
7:00 AM – Epic riders depart
Noon – Lunch on route
All routes and Hiking option:
4:00 – 6:00 PM Live music, dancing, beer garden
6:00 PM: Dinner at the dining hall
7:00 PM – Evening program
Sunday
Route: Blue Ridge Vineyards Loop – 27 miles, 2,200 feet of climbing (need a boost up a hill? Just ask our support team!)
6:00 AM – Breakfast
8:00 AM – Blue Ridge Vineyards riders depart
Route: Sky Meadows Loop – 52 miles, 3,000 feet of climbing
6:00 AM – Breakfast
7:00 AM – Sky Meadows riders depart
Noon- 2:00 PM: Lunch for all riders at camp
2 PM: Say farewell until the next ride!
Ready to get started?
Green Fondo FAQs
What’s included: Accommodations & Meals
What’s included:
- Camping which includes shower facilities.
- Full route support including bike mechanics, water & snack stops, and cheerful leaders!
- Good food: Saturday: breakfast, picnic lunch, dinner, and snacks at aid stations along the routes. Sunday: breakfast and lunch and snacks at aid stations along the route.
- Really awesome people to spend the weekend with!
Not included:
Shared bunk rooms: If you wish to book a bed in a shared bunk room in one of the lodges on campus, there is an extra charge.
Hotels: If you prefer a hotel, you can book a hotel at a special rate in Front Royal, Virginia 10 minutes away.
Alcoholic beverages: We will have beer & wine donated by our supporters, but if you prefer special libations, bring them along!
Is there a shuttle to/from DC?
Yes, Climate Ride will organize a shuttle for participants to/from a cental location in Washington DC departing Friday, April 28 at 3:00 PM. After the ride ends on Sunday, April 30 at 2:00 PM we will offer a shuttle back to DC.
Fundraising Beneficiaries
Cyclists on Green Fondo can choose from the more than 100 incredible beneficiary organizations in the Climate Ride network! One of the things that make Climate Ride such an effective charitable event is that you can select the organization(s) you wish to benefit through the Climate Ride grants program. Our beneficiaries were selected for their work on the environment, justice, conservation, sustainability, climate education, and active transportation advocacy. At the end of the year, Climate Ride grants the proceeds from our events to these hard-working organizations. Learn more about beneficiaries here.
This year every dollar raised by participants will go directly to their selected beneficiaries!
Participants on Green Fondo events will be able to fundraise until June 30, 2023. Funds raised on all 2023 Green Fondos will be sent out through our Grants program in early July. This special disbursement of grants will allow Climate Ride beneficiaries to access the funds raised from these events shortly after they are completed.
Young Participants (under 25)
For this Green Fondo event, participants ages 25 and under can opt for a discounted registration ($25 early reg, $50 after December 1) and a reduced fundraising minimum requirement of $200. All participants will still need to meet their fundraising minimum at the established deadlines. Participants must be 12 or older to participate in the event, and participants under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
Community Leader Awards
Climate Ride is committed to building an inclusive environmental movement, led by people with varied backgrounds and perspectives. We provide awards for community and climate leaders. These awards are given to bike coalitions and eligible organizations so that their Climate Ride teams can better represent the diversity in their communities and widen the conversation on sustainability. Awards are also directly given by Climate Ride to eligible candidates. We prioritize these awards for individuals who identify as Black, Indigenous and/or People of Color, low-income, young women, and LGBTQ+.
If you would like to apply to receive a Community Leader Award, you can do so here.
Ride Start and End
The ride starts and ends at the Northern Virginia 4-H Conference and Education center nestled between Front Royal, Virginia and beautiful Shenandoah National Park
We plan to provide a shuttle to/from Washington DC for this event.
Where can I find the GPS routes for this ride?
Our chosen routes depend on a lot of factors, including what we’re able to obtain permits for, weather complications, difficulty, variety of terrain, and overall experience. Due to this variability, we are often still finalizing routes in the weeks leading up to a ride, and thus cannot share GPS routes for them. As soon as routes have been confirmed — usually a week or two before the ride — we will share that info with all participants via email.
Getting your bike to/from the event & bike rental
If you wish to ship your bike to the event, we will recommend a local bike shop where you can ship your bike and have it re-built. And, the end of the ride, your bike can be packaged and shipped home. We recommend using Bike Flights for shipping.
We will soon recommend a local bike shop for bike rentals. Stay tuned!
Can I bring my friends/family?
Due to limits on parking, camping, cabins, and bunkhouses, all attendees must register and fundraise for the event. There is a non-riding participant option if companions or friends are not cyclists but wish to hike or sightsee.
Fundraising and Transfer Deadlines
All registration fees and donations are non-refundable.
Fundraising Deadlines:
| $250 (over 25) OR $100 (under 25) to be raised by: | TBD |
| $495 (over 25) OR $200 (under 25) to be raised by: | TBD |
| Transfer deadline for all participants: | TBD |
Cancellations and Transfer Policy
If you cannot attend the Green Fondo Virginia event, you may request to transfer your fundraising to a future event. Donations cannot be transferred to another participant in the year you are registered or future years. Participants may transfer to another event within the same calendar year, or to an event in the next calendar year. Climate Ride requires that participants who transfer fundraise to meet or surpass the new event’s fundraising minimum.
Participants who cancel their registration after the Transfer Deadline, 3 weeks prior to the event, are NOT eligible for a transfer. If you withdraw from the ride within three weeks of the event or don’t participate without notifying us, any fundraising you’ve received will go to support programs of Climate Ride.
More Questions?
More Questions?
Email us at [email protected]!