Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Metro columnist Dan Casey: Bicyclists plan busy Bike Month
Dan Casey is The Roanoke Times' metro columnist.
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Dan Casey
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Rebekah Hollins is 30 years old and she's a development associate at the Science Museum of Western Virginia, in Center in the Square on the Roanoke City Market.
She lives in Old Southwest, about a mile away from her job.
Some days she walks to work, but most days she rides her bike.
Forsaking a car saves Hollins money on gasoline, which is once again flirting with $3 a gallon in these parts.
It also saves her at least $35 a month for parking, plus wear and tear on the vehicle.
And "it's good exercise," Hollins says. "Since I already have my bike with me at work, I'll go out for a ride at lunch sometimes."
Hollins is one of 57 people from the Roanoke and New River valleys who already have taken a "clean commute" pledge to ride, walk, bus or carpool to work on one or more Fridays in May, aka Bike Month in our region.
Hollins' registration puts her in a position to win a bicycle (donated by Cardinal Bicycle) or an iPod Touch or any one of a number of less valuable "Clean Commute" prizes being offered by Bike Month organizers.
Clean Commute Fridays is being sponsored by Ride Solutions, a subsidiary of Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission. Once again, it is leading a quest to win Roanoke a nationally coveted League of American Bicyclists designation as a "Bicycle-Friendly Community."
The organizers aren't stopping at clean commutes. They're planning a month packed with fun and educational events -- too many to fit in this column.
- The month kicks off Saturday with the Mayor's Bike Ride, sponsored by the Blue Ridge Bicycle Club.
This 2.5-mile ride, mostly along city greenways, begins at 210 Reserve Ave. S.W. and ends at the Mayor's Monument in Elmwood Park. Mayor David Bowers will lead riders on a leisurely paced jaunt downtown, where the Strawberry Festival and Chili Cook-Off will be in full swing.
Sign-in begins at 9:30 a.m. Beginning at 10:30, there will be escorted bike rides downtown each half-hour until 1 p.m. It is free and open to the public.
- Sunday's the date of the Bike Ready event, a free bicycle tune-up and safe-riding clinic at Virginia Western Community College from 1 to 3 p.m. Owners of bikes that need more than simple repairs will be referred to area bike shops.
- On May 8, the commission is hosting a Spanish bike clinic geared to 9- to 12-year-olds at the Williamson Road Branch Library, 3837 Williamson Road N.W. It's from 10:30 to noon and will cover topics such as safe riding. A limited number of bike helmets will be given away.
- May 22 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. is the date of Roanoke's second Ciclovia, in which some downtown streets will be blocked off for safe riding and pedestrian activities. A mile-long loop along Norfolk Avenue, First Street, Franklin Road and half of Jefferson Street will be closed to motorized traffic during that time. Another Ciclovia is scheduled in June.
- Closing the month on May 31 are the regional Bike Hero and Extraordinary Bike Professional awards, sponsored by Regional Bicycle Advisory Committee.
Last year's Bicycle Hero was Beth Lohman, past president of the New River Valley Bicycle Association, who commutes to work in Roanoke from her home in the New River Valley using the Smart Way bus and her bicycle.
The Extraordinary Bicycle Professional award went to Curtis Hicks, the director of secondary education in the Salem school system. He helped the schools win a $10,000 Safe Routes to School grant.
Nominations for both awards are open until May 15. For more information, go to bikeroanoke.com and click on "awards."
The list above merely scratches the surface on Bike Month activities.
To take a "Clean Commute" pledge, or do find out more information on the activities, visit bikeroanoke.com and click on "events."
Dan Casey's column runs Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday.
