Betty Howes and Delma Jo Prince recently retired from 40 consecutive years of an annual bike ride together. Both are former Fairfax County Public Schools teachers.

Howes and Prince’s first ride together took place the summer after they taught at the same school. For each year after that, they continued the rides so that it became a tradition.

Distance couldn’t affect the annual ride. When Howes moved to Virginia Beach, they chose to continue the rides. One year Prince would go to Virginia Beach, and another Howes would come to Northern Virginia. Even when Howes was expecting a baby and when Prince was undergoing chemotherapy treatments, they still managed to complete their usual 14-mile ride together.