RIDE A
PUBLICATION
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WASHINGTON
VOLUME 36 | No 2 SUMMER 2008 WWW.WABA.ORG AREA
BICYCLIST
ASSOCIATION
B I K E T O W O R K D AY : M A R C H 1 6 T H BIKE RACK RAISING IN COLUMBIA HEIGHTS ‘08 NATIONAL BIKE SUMMIT BIKE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM IN ALEXANDRIA
INTERNATIONAL BIKE MONTH Situated in between “National Poetry Month” in April and “Rose Month” in June, we cyclists get the entire month of May to celebrate bicycling with National Bike Month! National Bike Month was first celebrated in 1956, sponsored by the League of American Bicyclists, and has now spread to six other countries and is celebrated in cities across the country! Capped off with Bike To Work Day on Friday, May 16, the month allows riders of all levels of experience to come together as one united community with our shared interest in cycling for fun, transportation, and fitness. To keep the buzz of Bike to Work Day going, WABA will be hosting for the first time a Bike Prom Dance Party on Friday, May 23 at DC’s Black Cat on 14th and S Sts. NW. With three local DJs spinning (including WABA’s own Jenn Bress), raffle prizes, and a photoshoot for you and your bike, WABA will be reaching out to the crowd that would rather stay up dancing until 2am than wake up at 8am for a group ride! (More info inside.) So dust off that bike and celebrate the benefits of cycling with thousands of like-minded enthusiasts during WABA’s Bike Month events!
EVENTS CALENDAR ★ EVENTS CALENDAR:
Washington Area Bicyclist Association 1803 Connecticut Ave, NW, 3rd Floor Washington, DC 20009
Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Washington, DC
MAY 16: Bike to Work Day 2008 Join thousands of area commuters for a celebration of bicycling as a clean, fun and healthy way to get to work! Meet up with your neighbors at one of 24 pit stops all over the region, ride into the city with experienced commuter convoys and meet your colleagues at Freedom Plaza. Bike to Work Day is a FREE event and open to all area commuters!
MAY 23: Bike Prom Dance Night $5 helps support better bicycling and gets you access to DJ’s, dancing, raffle prizes, and discounted WABA memberships. Celebrate bike month by partying all night long with WABA at the Black Cat night club in Washington, DC.
JUNE 7: Arlington and Alexandria Community Bike Ride This non-competitive cycling event will offer two route options—a longer Tour of Arlington and Alexandria and a shorter Family Ride. This year’s event will begin and end in Crystal City and promises to be the best community bike ride yet.
JUNE 14 & 15: Alexandria Red Cross Waterfront Festival Bike Valet Check out the festival, not the traffic! WABA will be providing it’s free bike valet service at this year’s Waterfront Festival in Old Town Alexandria. Leave your bike in our secure parking area while you enjoy a full day of family fun.
JULY 12: Bike-in Movie Join WABA and the Washington City Paper for the 3rd annual Bike-in Movie. Expect food, prizes, and free valet bike parking.
SEPTEMBER 22: Car Free Day This year’s Car Free Day will be bigger and better than ever with events taking place throughout the DC region all week! Look forward to bike tours, roller blading lessons, walking excursions and much, much more.
SEPTEMBER 27: Bike DC In 2008, Bike DC returns! See the beauty of Washington, DC as it was meant to be seen: by bike! You’ll be joined by hundreds of fellow cyclists celebrating our Nation’s beautiful capital while supporting WABA.
Check out www.waba.org for the full schedule of Confident City Cycling Classes and children’s bike rodeos.
www.waba.org
Permit 6803
RIDE www.waba.org
« ON « « «
WABA BOARD
»
WABA Rescues Columbia Heights Development
President Douglas Stewart
Vice President
In March, residents of the District of Columbia celebrated the opening of the new DC USA development in Columbia Heights, which featured such big box favorites as Target, Best Buy and Marshals. But as the curious rode there to check out the spectacle, many were left wondering where to park their bikes. On the street level there was not a U-rack to be seen. The streetscape plan that accompanied the new development calls for over 60 U-racks to be installed in the area, but implementation of the plan is at least a year away.
Barbara Klieforth
Treasurer Paul d’Eustachio
Secretary Randall Myers
Board Members Matthew Bieschke Kendall Dorman Jana Lynott Hunter McCleary Martin Moulton Susan Orlins Elissa Parker Curtis Runyan Dana Wolfe
WABA STAFF
»
WABA was quick to rectify the situation. Working with the District Department of Transportation, WABA helped identify underutilized racks outside of RFK Stadium. These racks were moved to the DCUSA location and installed with the help of volunteers. Within minutes, the racks were being used and have since proven to be a popular addition to the streetscape.
Unfortunately, the problems with the development went far beyond the missing outdoor racks. The building’s developers also failed to install the necessary bike parking in the parking garage. According to DC zoning regulations, all commercial developments with garages are required to provide bike parking for 5% of the total number of parking spaces. While the new $40 million garage (that’s $40,000 per parking space) did have a few poorly design racks, they failed to meet the number requirement and were sited too far from building entrances.
Executive Director Eric Gilliland
Safety Education Program Director Dorcas Adkins
Safety Education Program Coordinator Glen Harrison
Membership & Development Manager
Currently, WABA is working with the Deputy Mayor for Economic Development, DDOT and Councilmember Jim Graham to rectify the situation.
Eve DeCoursey
Membership & Development Assistant Jenn Bress
Events Manager Chantal Buchser
Events Assistant Henry Mesias
Office Volunteers Josh Bennett Bruce Dwyer Jon Fleming John Telesco
» RIDE ON RIDEON is published quarterly by the Washington Area Bicyclist Association, 1803 Connecticut Ave, NW, 3rd Floor, Washington, DC 20009 phone :: (202) 518-0524 fax :: (202) 518-0936 email :: waba@waba.org website :: www.waba.org Send requests, changes of address or general messages to the WABA office. Address submissions to RIDEON, or email: rideon@waba.org. ©2006 Washington Area Bicyclist Association.
WABA is a nonprofit advocacy group representing the metropolitan Washington area bicycling community. Coverage of an event not sponsored by WABA does not constitute an endorsement. Reproduction of information in RIDEON for non-profit use is encouraged. Please use with attribution.
Printed with Eco-ink - low volatility vegetable oil-based ink on Ecoprint Offset 100 - 100% Post-consumer Recycled, Processed Chlorine Free using 100% Wind Energy in a Carbon Neutral Process.
2 RIDEON • Spring, 2008
BIKE TO WORK DAY Join thousands of area cyclists for WABA’s annual celebration of bike commuting at Bike to Work Day 2008 on May 16th. This year’s event will feature 26 “pit stops” around the region with each offering fun, food and prizes. This year’s event is sponsored by WABA and Commuter Connections and is designed to attract new people to bicycle commuting and to urge those who already do commute to do so more often. “With the price of gas breaking one record after another, and with the growing concern over climate change, now is a great time to try biking to work,” said Eric Gilliland, WABA’s Executive Director. “And with our commuter convoys we try to make it as easy as possible.” WABA’s commuter convoys are led by experienced bike commuters who know the best and safest route to your destination. Over 20 commuter convoys will be forming that day at start locations around the region.
MAY 16
TH
The majority of the convoys and hundreds of other riders will converge onto Freedom Plaza on 14th St. and Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Festivities will take place from 8-9am featuring coffee and snacks, local speakers, and music. In a fitting detail, two bicycles on stationary generators will be powering all of the sound for the morning’s celebration. For more information on pitstops and commuter convoys and to register, please visit www.waba.org. Registration is free and the first 6,500 registered riders will receive a commemorative Bike to Work Day 2008 t-shirt, and all registered riders will be entered into a drawing for a free bike courtesy of City Bikes. For more fun events surrounding Bike Month, please see our calendar of event on the back page.
See you there!
THANKS TO OUR VOLUNTEERS! GOT LIGHTS! Claudia Rizzo Sandy Ghozland Raul Rojas Paola Perez Riveros Pat Munoz Jim Sebastian Claire Rodriguez Robyn Ellerbock Helen Zitomer VASA RIDE Michael Tucker
★ ★★ ★★ ★★ ★★ ★★ ★
VOLUNTEER CALL 2008 Arlington and Alexandria Community Bike Ride Location and roving marshal’s needed! This event features a longer tour of Arlington and Alexandria and a shorter ride for the family. Ride for FREE by volunteering your time.
» FROM MY SADDLE There’s nothing like a bike ride to soak in the lengthening days of spring. And one of the DC area’s great rites of spring – right up there with the Nats and the Cherry Blossom Festival, in my humble opinion – is Bike To Work Day. From Laurel to Leesburg, bicyclists from all over the region will hit the streets and trails for Bike To Work Day on Friday May 16. One of the things I love most about this event is the camaraderie it inspires. At the “pit stops” where bicyclists pause to grab coffee and bagels, the discussion inevitability turns to routes. “Cross 50 at Pickett to catch the Connector Trail.” “How do you get across Route 28?” First-time commuters get tips and encouragement from camel-backed veterans. Why just one day out of the year? Shouldn’t every day be Bike To Work Day? Well, that’s another great thing about the event. It took last year’s Bike To Work Day to get us
to ride our four year-old son to his day-care center. We hadn’t even really considered it before that. It seemed like too much work to get the trailer out of the shed when we were gulping our coffee and rushing out the door, and we didn’t care to ride on the un-shouldered road leading to the school. But then came Bike To Work Day, and just this once. . . It turns out there was a trail spur that went right to the school. Discovering that spur made all the difference, and we rode with him regularly the rest of the summer. Bike To Work Day helps businesses and policy makers see new possibilities too. My spouse’s employer, George Mason University, has started installing bike racks at more places and is taking other measures to encourage students and employees to ride. A striped lane now greets bicyclists at one of the campus’s main entrances. Participation in Bike To Work Day was one of the ways bicyclists educated university officials about the need for these changes. So whether you ride to work every day or only occasionally, or have never done it before – hop on your bike on May 16. We look forward to seeing you there!
—Douglas Stewart, President
Bike Prom planning Committee
Alexandria Red Cross Waterfront Festival Bike Valet Help promote cycling as a viable transportation solution! WABA needs volunteers to help run the bike valet service on June 14th and 15th at Old Town Alexandria Waterfront. CALL HENRY at (202) 518-0524 or email him at henry@waba.org
★ ★★ ★★ ★★ ★★ ★★ ★
ANNUAL
WABA Membership Meeting Election of Board of Directors Open Forum Guest Speaker Refreshments Please RSVP through the events page at
www.waba.org
Thursday June 19 6:00-8:00pm
• Connect with local riders.
Josephine Butler Park Center
• Learn about local events. Get to know us.
2437 15th Street NW 20009
myspace.com/wabadc
WABA T-Shirt Design • Check out photos of current events. • Share your photos in the WABA Event Photos pool
flckr.com/photos/waba
CONTEST!! WABA wants to put YOUR DESIGN on our next T-shirt! GUIDELINES:
Join the WABA group on facebook.com • Connect with local riders. • Have fun!
facebook.com
• Design should be one color; • WABA promotes bicycling for fun, sport, recreation and transportation in the nation’s capital - can you capture that spirit in one design? • To incorporate the WABA logo, lift an EPS off the membership page at www.waba.org • Email your submission to waba@waba.org by Monday, May 19;
Your membership expiration date is on your mailing label!
• Winner will be announced on-line on May 30. WABA reserves the right to not declare a winner if no suitable art is submitted;
ZIPCAR partners with WABA Celebrate Bike Month by donating your car during the month of May. Proceeds benefit WABA. Become a Zipcar Member for life. Get $100 in driving credit. Call 1-888-ZIPGIVE for complete details.
BIKE PROM DANCE PARTY
Do you have a great idea for the theme of the first Bike Prom? Do you possess unsurpassed decorative talent? Help WABA theme and decorate the back stage of the Black Cat for DC’s first Bike Prom on May 23. Help make DC’s cycling community more fun while dancing all night long!
$5 helps support better bicycling and gets you access to DJ’s, dancing, raffle prizes, and discounted WABA membership. Celebrate bike month by partying all night long!
MAY 23, 2008 DJs: Mary Mack, Vinnie Von Blotto and Jennder
The Black Cat 1811 14th Street, NW 9pm - close
• Winner gets lifetime WABA membership, and $100.
RIDEON • Spring, 2008 3
★★
ADVOCACY
FAIRFAX Update
by Bruce Wright, Chairman, FABB
★ Rolling Road Widening Project
★ Beltway Hot Lanes Project
The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) plans to widen Rolling Road from Old Keene Mill Road to just north of the Fairfax County Parkway. The project was approved many years ago but funds were never allocated. Now that funding may be available, the project is being reactivated.
As part of the Beltway HOT Lanes project, all of the bridges crossing the Beltway will be reconstructed. FABB is working with Fairfax County, VDOT, and others to ensure that bicycle facilities are included on all of the rebuilt bridges. The County Trails Plan designates on-road routes on four of the bridges, with sidepaths on others. Fairfax County is currently reviewing plans for the bridges and most of the requirements of the Trails Plan appear to be included. Once the public hearing date is announced, copies of the HOT plans will be available to the public.
Rolling Road is an important north/south connecting route for bicyclists. The Franconia-Springfield Metro station and the Springfield Mall both are a short bike ride to the east from the intersection of Rolling Road and Franconia-Springfield Parkway. A large retail development is located at Old Keene Mill Road and Rolling Road. Adequate on-road bike facilities are a critical part of the project.
Cyclists are encouraged to attend the public hearing later this Spring to let VDOT and others know that adequate bike facilities must be part of the project. The Beltway has been a barrier to bicycle travel since it was built in the 1960’s and unless bike facilities are included in the project, the Beltway will continue to block bicycle travel for a generation to come. As soon as the public hearing date is announced, we will post it on the FABB website, www.fabb-bikes.org. Check the VDOT project site for more info at www.virginiadot.org/projects/hot_main.asp.
★ Fairfax County Bike Map
FABB members stop to view road conditions on a tour of Rolling Road.
Fairfax Advocates for Better Bicycling (FABB) recently met with VDOT and Fairfax County Department of Transportation staff to discuss possible options for cyclists. Wide curb lanes are currently included in the VDOT plans. FABB agrees that in this narrow corridor, wide curb lanes are the best solution for on-road bike facilities. Cyclists are encouraged to contact Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity (springfield @fairfaxcounty.gov), Fairfax County Board Chairman Gerry Connolly (chairman @fairfaxcounty.gov), and other members of the Board of Supervisors to ask for their support for on-road bicycle facilities on Rolling Road. Cyclists should also comment at the public hearing, scheduled for June 12 at the cafeteria of West Springfield High School, 6100 Rolling Road, Springfield, 5:00-8:00pm.
While Fairfax County is not exactly a bicycle-friendly community, cyclists have found many routes to navigate through the county. The Fairfax County bike map, which will depict a network of bike routes based on the FABB draft bike map, is scheduled for release on Bike to Work Day, Friday, May 16, 2008. Fairfax County is working with Toole Design Group to evaluate the network. Two public meetings were held in January to solicit feedback from county cyclists. Over 70 people attended the meetings and suggested changes on paper copies of the draft route maps. Field work for all routes is complete and a final map layout is being developed. Copies of the maps should be available at all Fairfax Bike to Work Day sites. For more information send email to bicycleprograms@fairfaxcounty.gov or call 703-324-BIKE (703-324-2453). Fairfax Advocates for Better Bicycling (FABB) is a group of concerned cyclists working to make Fairfax more bicycle-friendly. www.fabb-bikes.org/events.html#rollingroad
2008
ADVOCACY CALENDAR Mark your calendars for the following recurring bicycle advocacy meetings throughout 2008. For a bi-weekly update on advocacy activities, sign up for WABA’s e-bulletin “Quick Release” by sending a message to waba@waba.org.
★ Arlington County Bicycle Advisory Committee First Monday of even-numbered months, 7:30 pm. Arlington County Govt. Center (#1 Courthouse Plaza), 2100 Clarendon Blvd. (Courthouse Metro), Azalea Conference Room. For more info: David Goodman, Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator, at (703) 228-3709 or dgoodman@arlingtonva.us.
★ Coalition of the Capital Crescent Trail Board Meeting Second Monday of each month, 7-9 pm. Normally at the Bethesda Library, 7400 Arlington Road. Second Monday of June in Elm Street Park, Bethesda. No meetings in August or December. See http://www.cctrail.org/CCT_News_ and_Events.htm
★ D.C. Bicycle Advisory Council First Wednesday of odd-numbered months, 6-8 pm. For more info: DC Bicycle Coordinator, Jim Sebastian at (202) 671-2331 or jim.Sebastian@dc.gov.
★ Fairfax Advocates for Better Bicycling Third Wednesday of each month, 7:30 pm, at bikes@vienna, 128A Church St, Vienna. For more info: Douglas Stewart at (703) 385-7564 or dbstewart@earthlink.net.
★ Metropolitan Branch Trail Coalition Second Thursday of each month, 6:30-8:30 pm. For more info: Paul Meijer at 202-726-7364 or meijer@cua.edu.
★ Montgomery County Bicycle Advisory Committee (MCBAC)
Rolling Road project map: www.virginiadot.org /images/ projects/RollingRoadCorridor.jpg
Third Tuesday of the month, 6:30-8:30 pm, Executive Office Building, 101 Monroe St, Rockville, Maryland, 10th floor conference room.
VDOT Rolling Road project website: www.virginiadot.org /projects/const-project.asp? ID=313
★ Prince Georges County Bicycle & Trails Advisory Group (BTAG) Meets quarterly. Contact Fred Shaffer for details at Fred.Shaffer@ppd.mncppc.org.
ICC BIKE TRAIL Update The Montgomery County Planning Department recently held public meetings on the proposed alignment of the Inter-county Connector (ICC) bike trail. You may recall that the initial proposals by the Maryland State Highway Administration included a trail for only seven of the highway’s proposed 18 miles. The disjointed sections would be connected by a mix of long, on-road or sidepath detours along unsuitable roads. In an effort to bridge the gaps, WABA, Montgomery Bicycle Advocates and One Less Car, successfully lobbied the Planning Board to direct the Planning Department Montgomery County Council to require the Planning Board to study options for connecting the missing segments of the trail that had been left out by the state. But, unfortunately, the Planning Department is defending the State's trail alignment in order to avoid impacts in park areas. Throughout this process WABA believed that the ICC design could be altered in a way
4 RIDEON • Spring, 2008
that would allow the trail to be added in the missing segments (through cantilevering) without additional environmental impacts. Even worse, the Planning Board has indicated that it will remove the missing sections from the master plan. The Planning Department is citing a Planning Board vote in 2005 to support the detours it now wishes to make permanent. But that decision was overruled a month later by the County Council in an 8-0 vote. WABA urges you to contact the County Council and the Chairman head of the Planning Board, Royce Hanson to urge them to complete the trail along the length of the ICC. Royce Hanson: MCP-chairman@mncppc-mc.org County Council: county.council@montgomerycountymd.gov
★ WABA Board Meeting Second Monday each month, 6:30-8:30 pm. Contact the WABA office for location and agenda at (202) 518-0524 or waba@waba.org.
• Bicycling Accident Attorney • Avid Commuter & Cyclist
THOMAS G. WITKOP Criminal & Traffic Defense, Personal Injury, Business
27 West Jefferson Street Rockville, Maryland 20850
TomWitkop@Juno.com (301) 294-3434
★ SAFETY EDUCATION & OUTREACH
CONFIDENT CITY CYCLING Classes As we have for several years now, WABA is again offering a series of these free classes at DC Dept. of Recreation centers, with the support of the DC Dept. of Transportation. This year’s schedule was kicked off by a January class at Kalorama Rec. Center dealing with cycling in the cold and dark, along with the usual list of subjects: The Cycling Environment (rules of the road, lane positioning, hazard avoidance), the Cyclist (nutrition, hydration, clothing, and performance), and the Bicycle (types, proper fit, accessories, basic maintenance and repair). This year DC is joined by the City of Alexandria and Arlington County. Both Virginia jurisdictions are sponsoring Confident City Cycling Classes of their own (two in Alexandria, six in Arlington), provided by WABA as well. Many of these classes are timed to prepare riders for the Arlington and Alexandria Community Bike Ride on June 6, 2008. Yet another indication that using bicycles to get where we need to go is coming into its own is the fact that already many area employers have contracted with WABA to provide Brown Bag Bicycle Commuter Seminars this season for their employees. National Geographic Society has ordered a series of three classes on successive Fridays just before Bike To Work Day, May 16. Touchstone and its sister company in Arlington, SRA International, have followed suit, and a modification of the commuter seminar aimed to prepare riders for group rides will be offered at Cycle Fest on April 6 in preparation for the American Diabetes Association’s Tour de Cure on June 8.
2008 Confident City Cycling Calendar DATE
LOCATION
TIME
5/3
Sherwood Recreation Center 640 10th St., NE, DC
1-4 pm
5/17
Ft. Stevens Recreation Center 1327 Van Buren St., NW, DC
1-4 pm
6/14
Hillcrest Recreation Center 3100 Denver St., SE, DC
1-4 pm
7/19
Guy Mason Recreation Center 3600 Calvert St., NW, DC
1-4 pm
9/6
Turkey Thicket Rec. Center 1100 Michigan Ave., NE, DC
1-4 pm
10/11
Takoma Community Center 300 Van Buren St., NW, DC
1-4 pm
5/10
Mt. Vernon Rec. Ctr. 2701 Commonwealth, Alexandria, VA
1-4 pm
5/24
Aurora Hills Comm. Ctr. 735 18th St. S. Arlington, VA
1-4 pm
5/28
Beatley Library 5005 Duke St., Alexandria, VA
1-4 pm
5/31
Arlington Central Library 1015 N. Quincy St., Arlington, VA
1-4 pm
6/28
Fairlington Comm. Ctr. 3308 Stafford St., Arlington, VA
1-4 pm
SIGN UP AT WABA.ORG Riders wishing to take advantage of the public classes can register on http://www.waba.org/events/education.php#ccc
Alexandria and WABA Launch Bicycle Ambassador Program The City of Alexandria, in partnership with WABA and National Park Service, is recruiting and training volunteer teenage students to help champion bicycling throughout the City. The goals of the Local Motion Bicycle Ambassadors program are to increase the number of trips being made by bicycle in and around Alexandria; encourage safe bicycling practices; and to help bicyclists, motorists, and pedestrians better share roads and trails. To accomplish these tasks, the student ambassadors will be trained in safety practices, bicycle equipment, basic maintenance techniques, and navigating the bikeways network. Ambassadors
will then carry forth their messages to peers and the general public at numerous community events taking place throughout the City between June and October. Ambassadors—primarily students from Francis Hammond and George Washington middle schools— will be eligible to receive exciting rewards, ranging from gift cards to electronics and cell phones, based on the number of outreach hours logged at various events. They will also enjoy a recognition and celebration luncheon at the end of the outreach season.
Alexandria Red Cross Waterfront Festival June 14-15. Working with WABA and students and staff of the Jefferson-Houston Elementary School Safe Routes to School program, ambassadors will distribute City bikeways maps and safety information and help oversee bicycle valet operations. Stop by to say “Hi!” to our volunteer Local Motion Bicycle Ambassadors at the Red Cross Waterfront Festival bicycle valet parking area or the Local Motion table. Learn more about the Local Motion Ambassador program at alexandriava.gov/localmotion.
The Local Motion Bicycle Ambassador program kicks off with a special event: bicycle valet parking at the
‘08 WABA GALA & BENEFIT AUCTION Thanks to our Sponsors, Donors, Staff, Volunteers and Guests for a Great Event! VOLUNTEERS: Craig Annear Cathy Binder Jon Binder Matt Castelhano Bruce Dwyer Linda Dwyer Joel Gwadz Julia Hainer-Violand Leslie Hill Danny Koniowsky Paul Lebow Dave Levy Phil Lyon Beth Merricks Jeff Peel Janice Sims Leslie Tierstein Bill Ulman Jarla Ulman James Willet Elizabeth Wright Helen Zitomer RIDEON • Spring, 2008 5
2008 NATIONAL BIKE SUMMIT During the first week of March over 550 bike advocates from around the country converged on the DC area for the League of American Bicyclist’s National Bike Summit. This annual conference is an opportunity for advocates to share best practices and to learn about the efforts to promote bicycling on the national level. This summit was particularly important as the bicycling community gears up for the reauthorization of the federal transportation bill in just two years. Past transportation bills gave us such important programs as Transportation Enhancements and Safe Routes to Schools, both of which have steered millions of dollars to bicycle related projects and programs. The National Bike Summit also gave local advocates a chance to talk to their Congressional delegation. WABA staff and advocates from the DC region attended meetings with many of the Washington area’s congressional delegation to discuss the issues facing bicyclists on the national level, as well as what needs to happen locally. Among the “asks” of the congressional visits were the request for support of a Congressional resolution in support of bicycling as a form of
Congressional Bike Caucus Bike Ride
transportation and for a federal Complete Streets bill that had recently been introduced. WABA was extremely active throughout the conference providing valuable assistance to the League’s staff, assisting with panel sessions, and of course organizing the ever-popular Congressional Bike Caucus Bike Ride that closes the conference. This year’s tour showed summit attendees many of the great projects that are going on in DC including bus/bike lanes in Chinatown, completed sections of the we’ll-all-be-too-old-to-ride-itwhen-it-does-open Metropolitan Branch Trail, segments of the new Anacostia Riverwalk and Trail, and the new baseball stadium. For more information about the National Bike Summit and about national bike advocacy efforts, please visit www.bikeleague.org. Maryland delegation meets with staff from Congresswoman Mikulski’s office
Thank-You To All Who Hosted Out-Of-Towners For The LAB Summit! Partnering with the League of American Bicyclists, WABA arranged for home-stays for the many attendees of the Annual Summit who came to DC from out-of-state. This exciting three-day conference fills an important niche, offering an array of meetings, workshops, and receptions culminating in visits to elected representatives on Capitol Hill. WABA’s cherished volunteer hosts provide an important service by welcoming these warriors to DC and by offering their homes to offset the expense of the journey. This year, when additional Congresspersons and Senators join the Congressional Bike Caucus and when bicycle-friendly legislation is passed by the Federal Government, you can rest assured that you did your part to make this happen.
» BICYCLE COMMUTER SPEAKS “My two daughters actually think I look cool riding to work in a shirt and tie.” Name: Yon Lambert Age: 36 Occupation: Transportation Planner, Pedestrian & Bicycle Coordinator at City of Alexandria Yon has been commuting by bicycle for the past 5-6 years. He rides "a beat up old Diamond Back" to work twice per week from Del Ray to Old Town Alexandria. Having two kids in school and a working spouse provides a bit of chaos to his commuting regiment. However, “the bus is also really easy for me, so it’s easy to get to work car-free whichever way I go.” Yon often rides along Commonwealth and Prince Street on the way to work, or uses the Four Mile Run and Mt. Vernon multi-use paths. However, he also likes to mix it up a little bit in order to experience other commute routes through Alexandria. He parks his bicycle in the garage under City Hall. Q: Why did you start commuting by bike? A: It just seemed to make sense. I have always tried to live close to my job and, at first, I just saw it as a way to cut down on driving and get some extra activity. Now, it’s just part of what I do. Q: What do you wear when you bike to work? A: My ride is short (3 or 4 miles, depending on the route) so I often just ride easy in work pants and a light shirt. If I have to wear a suit, I’ll pack the jacket, tie and shirt in my pannier. In the summer, I often ride in a jersey and shorts and then change at the office. Q: What kind of special equipment do you use? A: Nothing fancy: Front headlight, rear light for the bike and one for my messenger bag, a light jacket, helmet, cycling cap, reflective pant straps, etc…
6 RIDEON • Spring, 2008
Q: Advice for new bicycle commuters? A: Keep some extra clothes and baby powder at the office. If you live within five miles of work (and you can find a good route), there’s no need to bother with showers, tons of gear, etc… just ride slow, keep it simple and eventually it’ll feel natural. Q: What kind of response do you get from co-workers? A: They pretty much expect it… and we have a number of bicycle commuters here at City Hall so it’s not uncommon. Q: What was your worst experience/commute? A: Other than an occasional flat or sometimes forgetting my shirt/tie, I can’t remember any real bad experiences. Q: What is the best commute you can remember? A: I’m one of the lucky people who get to use the Mount Vernon Trail so those days are all usually pretty good. Riding along the Potomac in the morning is hard to beat.
Peter M. Baskin ATTORNEY AND COUNSELOR AT LAW
2300 CLARENDON BLVD SUITE 700 ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA 22201
TEL: (703) 528-8000 (703) 276-6800 FAX: (703 ) 522-4570
LOCKS Sponsors WABA’s Bike Valets
Kryptonite Locks, the foremost maker of heavy duty bike locks, and the Washington Area Bicyclist Association are pleased to announce a year-long sponsorship agreement for WABA’s bike valet program. In addition to cash sponsorship, Kryptonite will also be donating valet signs, free U-locks for event giveaways, as well as sweatshirt and t-shirts for volunteers. What began with one bike valet on Earth Day in 2000 has grown tremendously over the years. In 2008, WABA staff and volunteers will be providing free valet bike parking at the following local festivals:
★
• National Cherry Blossom Festival • P3 Environmental Festival • Green Apple Earth Day Celebration • Arlington and Alexandria Community Bike Ride • July 4th Celebration • City Paper Bike in Movie • Crafty Bastards Art Fair • Arlington County Fair • The Taste of Georgetown
For more information about WABA’s bike valet program, visit www.waba.org/events/valets.php.
★
BIKE VALET at the New Nationals Ball Park! Thanks to the efforts of WABA members and the DC Council, the new ballpark for the Washington Nationals in southeast DC includes a free bike valet service that will be available at all home games this season. Nationals Park is the first LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified “green” stadium in the country. The valet service, located at the corner of 1st Street and Potomac Avenue SE, opens two hours before game time and closes one hour after the game
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has ended. In addition to the valet, custom red U-racks with the National’s cursive “W” are conveniently located near stadium entrances. Bike route signs in the area have included “Ballpark” destination information and the website for the Nationals even includes a map of suitable bike routes to get you there. In the future, the Anacostia Riverwalk and Trail will pass within a block of the stadium making it even easier to bike out to the ball game.
For more information visit http://www.waba.org/areabiking/Nationals.php.
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May 10th, get your CHOO-CHOO on. Are you ready to celebrate? Spokesperson Al Roker will be at Washington, DC’s Union Station to kick off the day’s festivities, including Acela® train tours, photo and hobbyist exhibits, kids’ activities, trip giveaways and a concert by Sara Bareilles (“Love Song”). Events are free, so all aboard! N AT I O N A LT R A I N DAY. C OM Amtrak and Acela are registered service marks of the National Railroad Passenger Corporation.
PUT YOUR OLD BIKE TO GOOD USE! Donate it to Bikes For the World! Bikes for the World collects repairable bicycles in the United States, and donates them to charities overseas for productive use by those in need of affordable transport. Bikes for the World
is a sponsored project of WABA, a 501(c)3 non-profit charity. Bikes for the World also accepts bike parts & accessories, operating portable sewing machines, and cell phones. Collections take place rain or shine. For a complete collection schedule, visit www.bikesfortheworld.org or call Bikes for the World at 703-525-0931. RIDEON • Spring, 2008 7
Arlington and Alexandria
COMMUNITY BIKE RIDE June 7th This year’s Arlington and Alexandria Community Bike Ride (AACBR) is anticipated to be the best family event of the spring! The AACBR is a non-competitive event taking place on June 7, 2008 that will give you a first-hand view of the best bike routes, trails, and facilities the region has to offer. Whereas last year’s ride started and finished in Shirlington, this year’s start/finish area will be located in Crystal City, giving participants the chance to enjoy great restaurants and shops, and see how Crystal City is transforming into a bright and vibrant community. The AACBR offers two ride options for bicyclists of all skill levels. Choose from the 23-mile Community Tour or the 8-mile Family Ride. The Community Tour will utilize on-street bike lanes in several neighborhoods, including Old Town Alexandria, as well as scenic trails like the W&OD, Custis, Four Mile Run, and Mount Vernon trail. The Family Ride is designed specifically for the less experienced cyclist and will take riders on a comfortable safe tour on the Mt. Vernon Trail along the Potomac River. After you’ve reached the finish line, be sure to stick around for all the festivities. You can park your bike at the free bike valet and check out Crystal City’s wonderful variety of specialty shops and restaurants. Lucky winners will be chosen after the ride for additional bike and gear prizes to show our appreciation for your participation in the Community Bike Ride. The finish area will also be featuring live music, face painting, a moon bounce, and the Traveling Bike Museum.
www.DiscoveryCycleTours.com
Mark your calendars and plan to be in Crystal City on June 7th for the Arlington and Alexandria Community Bike Ride!
KENNAN GARVEY MEMORIAL FUND
Established For Phoenix Bikes
Week long Guided and Self Guided Bicycle Tours through the beautiful English countryside.
Kennan Garvey passed away unexpectedly on January 19, 2008, following a heart attack. Kennan’s widow, Libby, and daughters Shannon and Ruth and their families are asking his friends and others who support bicycling to make a donation to the Kennan Garvey Memorial Fund of Phoenix Bikes, Arlington, Virginia. The fund will help the organization secure a more permanent site to better serve South Arlignton’s young people, furthering a project that reflects his and his family’s interests in youth development, cycling, and the environment.
Call us 24/7 at: 305-878-0118 Toll Free: 877-240-TOUR (8687)
In a statement establishing the fund, Kennan’s widow Libby said that Phoenix Bikes teaches kids how to repair bikes and was one of the organizations Kennan was planning to support in his upcoming retirement. “Kennan was an avid cyclist and always did most of his own bike maintenance,” she said. “He would have taken great satisfaction in teaching kids to be self-reliant operators of his favorite environmentally-friendly vehicle!” Checks may be made payable to Greenbrier Learning Center with notation in the memo line to “Phoenix Bike Shop/Kennan Garvey Memorial” and mailed to: Greenbrier Learning Center/Phoenix Bikes, 5401 South 7th Road, Arlington, VA 22204
D C R e g i o n ’s N e w S i g n a t u r e E v e n t
The U.S. Air Force Cycling Classic participants will ride on a 12.5 kilometer circuit in and around CRYSTAL CITY that will challenge them for up to 8 laps or 100km. Following this amateur ride, the nation's top pros will compete on the same course. Come out to ride, compete or just to cheer!
Nations top Pros to compete.
OFFICIAL PACE CAR
THE DAYS EVENTS Crystal Ride: A challenging participatory amateur ride in and around Crystal City Service Academy Races: Bragging rights up for grabs Men’s Pro Circuit Race: Feature event will showcase US and International pro teams Kids Races: Kids 9 and under get the spotlight in Crystal City The Peoples Ride, a challenge for all abilities, will feature the U.S. Air Force Memorial.
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www.USAirForceCyclingClassic.com
For more information contact
ludvik@czechactivetours.com Tel: 269-327-0619 or visit www.czechactivetours.com