Opinion: Why the Jubala ride is the most important ride in Raleigh
The constant nature of the ride brings into sharp relief the changing world around it. The leaves in fall and the sunrise in winter and the first ride after the time change in the spring when it's dark again and the sticky summer mornings all provide slightly different experiences of the same roads, the same ride.
The Jubala ride is the most important ride in Raleigh. It's not everyone's cup of tea, but it is worth trying at least once. Here's my take on why it's so special.
It's a twenty-two mile reverse lollipop that rolls every Friday morning at 6:15 sharp. It starts at the Village District Harris Teeter and heads directly north, usually arriving at Jubala Lafayette Village – about a mile shy of 540 – shortly after 7:00. It is a divine, nearly spiritual experience. Bear with me...
History
By some accounts, the ride has been happening since 2015. Some say it goes back even earlier. Either way, it's been happening for over a decade. Every Friday.


Left: April 2015. Right: April 2022, about five months before my first Jubala ride. Plenty different, plenty the same. Credit: Google