This week, we’re thrilled to collaborate with Sarah McAnulty (Instagram, Bluesky): artist, science communicator extraordinaire and “Philly’s favorite squid scientist” according to Billy Penn.

Our ride tomorrow is one part of her huge effort to sow native plant seeds across our city to restore native species and create habitat for local creatures. We’ll be scattering seed bombs on our ride through the Riverwards and North Philly, and then end at The Monkey Club, which is featuring native plants pint glasses designed by local artists.

Seed Bomb Info

Seed bombs will be available at the start from about 6:45p. Sarah’s team of volunteers has prepared hundreds! Grab a few or a small bag.

You can scatter the seed bombs on our route, and/or take a few home to sow on earth near you. But the seeds need to be exposed to cold and damp for a few weeks to grow, so now is the time - don’t hang on to them for later.

Don’t throw seed bombs at anything other than dirt, including people, cars, etc. Be respectful of the neighborhoods we’re riding through.

Most of the seed bomb targets (noted in the route!) are on Cumberland St and American St, in the last 3 miles of the route, in the form of empty lots and rain gardens, though there are spots earlier too.

Special ride notes:

• Caution: There is no stop sign stopping traffic at Laurel & 2nd St
• Caution: There are cobblestones on a short section of Bodine St alongside Liberty Lands park, but if you want to avoid them, ride down American St instead
• Caution: There’s also no stop sign stopping traffic at Bodine & Wildey

As usual, we’ll ride according to our How We Ride guide. Please follow these ride norms so everyone’s on the same page, and we keep the ride safe and fun. We’d like to highlight:

Stop at lights. Please, please DO NOT block intersections contrary to the traffic light. Our group can be very large and extended, and holding traffic risks serious conflict. If the light turns red, please stop.

Roll past conflict. Whether it’s angry motorists or unruly pedestrians, please do not engage with conflict and move on in a way that de-escalates the situation.

Finally, a reminder of risks and responsibilities. You don’t need to sign a waiver to join a Wednesday Night Ride, because it’s an entirely voluntary & free group activity. But please keep in mind:

• Everyone rides at their own risk.
• Every rider is responsible for themselves, their behavior, and their bike.
• Keep your bike properly maintained. Here’s a link to a basic bike check.
• Cycling has inherent risks–you could crash, fall down, or get hit by a car, and get hurt or even killed–though we try to minimize these risks.
• If you have a health condition that could affect your ride or put you at additional risk, consider a) checking in with a doctor, b) letting us or a friend know, c) having a backup plan to get home if riding doesn’t work out.
• We always plan to have a sweeper, but can’t rule out that you could get lost, or that your bike could break down and you’ll need to find another way home.

Want to lead a ride in 2026? We’re looking for ride leaders. Let us know if you’re interested! Our only criteria for leading a ride is that you’ve joined us before. You don’t need to have prior group ride lead experience or come up with the whole route on your own, we can help with that!

Thanks for riding! See you Wednesday.