The Sic Transit Fundo is a self supported, un-timed and non-competitive ride through the dirt roads and bike paths of Washtenaw County. And it’s free! Go fast or go slow, it really does not matter as long as you are having fun.
The 50 mile route will take you from our shop onto the dirt roads north of town, through Whitmore Lake and into the northernmost section of Hudson Mills Metro Park. From there we will ride the path into Dexter before following a mix of roads and paths back to Ann Arbor where we will gather at the shop for some social libations and celebrate the coming cycling season.
The Fundo was on Sunday April 14, 2024.
This is a mass start event, but expect the group to split up along the way. Make sure you have everything you need to complete the ride and navigate yourself back to the start.
Please take a moment and register for the event so we know how many folks to plan for.
Share the path!
We have intentionally planned some of this route to follow some of the multi-use paths we have here in Washtenaw County. They are gorgeous, traffic free and here for us cyclists to use. Here are some guidelines for blissfully sharing bike paths with fellow cyclists, joggers, dog walkers, and everyone else, from our friends at Bicycling Magazine:
1. Be nice. It’s the most important thing. You’re representing cyclists as a group. Don’t be a stone-faced automaton hell-bent on maintaining your 19.5 mph pace. Treat people the way you want to be treated. Be friendly. Wave. Say hello. It will make all of our time on these super paths a little more fun.
2. Get out of time-trial mode, duh. It’s fun to go fast, but a bike path isn’t the place to seek a KOM. Yes, you can crank things up a bit if you have clear sight lines and few other users but, as a general rule, keep it under control.
3. Ride right, pass left. Act like a car in these situations. Right for travel, left for passing. And, of course, obey all traffic signals.
4. Slow down—and be prepared to stop—when there are others around. People are unpredictable. Kids and pets especially, but the truth is, anyone can be so involved in a conversation or wrapped up in their own thoughts that they’ll make a bad choice even if they hear you coming. Slow to a walking pace and keep your hands on your brakes.
5. Make some noise well before passing. A bell is more charming (and less startling) than an “on your left!” but either is preferable to a stealth pass. Make noise—be sure you’re heard—well before you reach the person you’re passing.
6. Look around (and signal!) before passing or stopping. Just because you’re doing it right doesn’t mean everyone else is. Before you swing left to pass or hit the brakes to stop, throw out a hand signal, and take a look behind you for oncoming traffic.
7. Don’t stand in the path. Sometimes it’s nice to stop and look around and take a drink. Pull off the path when you do so, otherwise you’ll block the way for everyone else.