Here's a little-known fact: New Jersey has more cherry trees than Washington, D.C. And we are taking a trip there to see for ourselves. Specifically, we will be visiting Branch Brook Park, which runs through Belleville and Newark, NJ and has over 5,200 Japanese cherry blossom trees. Our small cycling cadre will be among the thousand of visitors who will be in awe of the exquisite colors of pink and white during the annual Essex County Cherry Blossom Festival.

We will gather at the World Trade Center where we will catch the Path train to Newark, NJ. From there we will cycle to and through Branch Brook Park taking in the blooms. We will also find a place to eat our lunch picnic style and for you shutterbugs out there to take countless pictures. Our return trip will take us back to Newark Penn Station where the trip will officially end. Some of us may take the PATH train to 34th Street, others to the World Trade Center, and yet others to any place in between.

This is an upper moderate pace ride. Please be able to maintain 15 mph on the flats. Comfort in riding on busy streets is a necessity.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: YOU MUST HAVE AND WEAR A MASK WHEN NECESSARY ON ALL 5BBC RIDES AS INDICATED BY THE RIDE LEADER. THIS RIDE HAS THE POSSIBILITY OF SPENDING SOME PERIOD OF TIME INDOORS. IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE AND JOIN ANY INDOOR ACTIVITY, YOU MUST BE MASKED, VACCINATED AND BRING PROOF OF VACCINATION. ADDITIONALLY, THE 5BBC MAKES NO REPRESENTATION AS TO THE VACCINATION STATUS OF ANYONE ON THE RIDE OR ENGAGED IN ANY ACTIVITY, INDOOR OR OUT. THE RISK INVOLVED IN ANY ACTIVITY ON THE RIDE IS ASSUMED BY EACH INDIVIDUAL RIDER.