Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Leesburg, VA?

Leesburg is located in Loudoun County, in the Virginia Piedmont between the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Potomac River, 35 miles northwest of downtown Washington, D.C. It was established in 1758, has a population of about 37,000 people, and is one of the fastest growing communities in the country (population doubled between 1990 and 2001).  Leesburg is celebrating it’s 250^th anniversary in 2008.


What about transportation?

Leesburg is 15 miles from Washington Dulles International Airport and is also home to Leesburg Executive Airport (Godfrey Field) a commercial and general aviation facility. The Maryland Rail Commuter Train offers service to and from Washington, D.C., from Point of Rocks, Md., about 12 miles north of Leesburg. The town is also accessible via the W&OD Trail, a hiking/biking trail that runs from Arlington, through Leesburg and on to Purcellville, Virginia, along the bed of the former Washington & Old Dominion Railroad, but also has connecting trails into Washington DC and Maryland.


What other amenities are in that area?

Leesburg has an abundance of restaurant and shopping options, but only occupies about a 12 square mile area. The immediate surrounding area is rich with history (particularly the Civil War), is one of the most popular "antiquing" areas in the region, has a large number of wineries, a booming equine community and more. In addition, Washington DC is about a 40 minute drive or train ride away, so Leesburg and the surrounding area are very "family friendly" with lots of options beyond the Cirque. It really is a wonderful and interesting area to visit, and not just for the Cirque.

What about the cost of goods and services?
While the area has a lot to offer, the basic economics of the Washington area means that prices for goods and services are generally higher than in Greensboro.

What about the host hotel?

The Best Western Leesburg Hotel and Conference Center, 726 E Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia, will be "Event Headquarters", combining hotel facilities with "social" areas and event space. See more detailed information and pictures of the hotel under the “Hotel Info” link on our main page.


What is the best way to transfer from the airport to the host hotel?

The hotel provides complimentary transport from and to Dulles airport, but only between 7:30 AM and 7:30 PM. You have to make those arrangements directly with the hotel and you’ll need your flight number, time of arrival, etc. It’s best to call the hotel directly at 703-777-5573 to make arrangements. If others are arriving at similar times, you may have to wait for everyone to arrive so that trips can be consolidated.

What about camping?  Are there campgrounds or campsites near by?

Unfortunately, there is really no camping near by. The are a number of rustic campsites scattered along the Chesapeake & Ohio (C&O) Canal National Park, which runs along the Potomac River east of Leesburg. These campsites could be 10 to 20 miles away, depending on their location along the C&O. The C&O Canal National Park runs all the way from Brunswick MD to Washington DC, a distance of about 185 miles, and includes a tow path that, while unpaved, is otherwise bicycle friendly.

Gambrill State Park in Maryland also has camping available, but is located about 30 miles north of Leesburg.   

What is the normal cost of attending, or is there a “Base Fee” for the Cirque?

There is no "base fee" to attend the Cirque.  There is only the cost of the individual sessions/functions, so you simply add the chosen functions (seminars, banquet, etc.) to get a total cost.  So technically speaking, you could attend but sign up for nothing, go only to the free functions, and only have your room and meals be your expenses.  If you attended the show and swap on Sunday, you would have to pay the $5 at the gate.  This scenario is not really the intent of the overall event, of course, but it is an option, and allows people to economize if necessary.

What is the terrain like in the area, and what are the rides like?

In general, the terrain around the Leesburg area is best described as "rolling hills".  Not flat, but not really what would be described as "hilly" either. The town of Leesburg occupies just 12 square miles, is an old town (250 years this year) with narrow roads, and is quite congested. However, you can be out of town and in the surrounding countryside pretty quickly. The best way to do that is by using the W&OD bike path, which is about 1.5 miles from the hotel. Most roads to the West are similar, and run through rolling countryside and farm land. Roads to the East are a bit flatter, and the area is much more developed and “suburbanized”. We have not laid out all the rides yet, but we will try and pick routes that have no major climbs.

 
What about shipping bikes to the Cirque?

The hotel can receive and store bikes that are shipped there. There is not yet a designated place to assemble bikes, which may have to happen in individual's rooms.  Unfortunately, we don't have the luxury of a full-blown bike shop within a few blocks of the hotel, especially one with a large loft available for storage and assembly of bikes. We will have a portable Ultimate work-stand and basic tools at the hotel and available for loan. We are still working on an optional assembly area. We have also made arrangements with
Plum Grove Cyclery, a local shop, for additional support. Plum Grove is a small but very nice shop, run essentially by the two owners Mike and Tom, and is located about 3 or 4 miles from the hotel. Plum Grove has agreed to provide packing and/or shipping service for return shipment of bikes. They charge $45 for the box and packing, and will provide USP shipping at their wholesale cost for Cirque attendees.

Where will the Show and Swap Meet take place?

The Loudoun County Fairgrounds will be the venue for the show and swap. The Fairgrounds are located near the intersections of Route 9 and Route 7, Harry Byrd Highway, about 3 miles north west of Leesburg.  The W&OD bike trail also passes directly in front of the Fairgrounds, just west of Leesburg.

 How many bikes can I bring?  Is there a cost to enter a bike in the show?

Right now, we are not limiting the number bikes an individual can bring. However, we have asked attendees (many of whom have been participating for many years) to submit proposed show bikes beforehand. We have done this primarily so that we can make sure we have sufficient space available and allocated. Bikes will be displayed in time-categories, so we need to determine how much space is needed for each group, and we also want to try and have a nice equal mix in each. If everyone wants to bring five bikes, we may have to start limiting show bike entry. Additionally, if someone says “I want to bring my five 1970's Paramounts, we might try and get them to maybe only bring one or two.

 There is no fee to enter a bike in the show, unless that bike is for sale. If it's for sale, the Swap Meet private party vendor fee of $35 applies. If you already have a vendor space, there is no additional fee.

 What about award categories and award presentation at the show?

The award issue has been somewhat controversial at the Cirque, particularly in the past few years. Awards have always been presented at the Cirque show, but there has never been an established criteria for the award categories. In addition, we rely on volunteer judges from within the Cirque community, who change from year to year. In past years, the awards were meant to be “fun” and not too serious, but not everyone agrees with this approach. Nevertheless, we will likely continue like this, at least for this year.

 Since the show will be organized in a time-line fashion, with specific “time-blocks” for bikes, we will likely have several "best" awards in each age-group, but not necessarily "best British" or “best French” for the overall show, as was done in the past. We have not yet settled on all the award categories, and likely won’t have that settled until just before the show. 

After this year, we will try and organize a group to analyze and evaluate the award issue, with a goal of either establishing some formal criteria, or recommending an alternative strategy going forward.