Help determine the future of popular trails like the IMBA Epic Southern Traverse during the George Washington National Forest forest plan update. The process, which is restarting after a year-long lull, features five public meetings, July 14 through July 28, to identify management needs for the forest. Mountain bikers packed the house last year and we need you to attend these meetings and voice support for more and better singletrack.
George Washington singletrack faces real threats, including trail-to-road conversions to support mineral leasing and closures due to budget cuts or management changes. But we have a lot to gain: miles of new loop trails, protected access for bicycles, a larger trails budget and improved trail restoration after fires.
This forest plan will guide management actions for 15-20 years, making it imperative that mountain bikers are at the table when important decisions are made. Let’s make sure we are as closely involved in speaking for better singletrack as we were last spring. [Read more →]
When chased by an attacking dog, most people are afraid of being bitten. But the greatest danger to a cyclist, by far, is that the dog will cause a crash. Though painful and unpleasant, dog bites are rarely serious, even if they require a trip to the emergency room. Dog-bike crashes, on the other hand, frequently cause injuries that are very serious indeed.
The Blue Ridge Bicycle Club’s 20th annual Artie Levin Memorial Ride, a September favorite of southwest VA cyclists, has joined forces with Bike MS to become Bike MS Best of the Blue Ridge, Sept. 27-28, 2008. Artie Levin was Roanoke’s own physical fitness celebrity, television host, and newspaper columnist. He was also an avid cyclist, and dynamic BRBC member, who did a lot to promote cycling in southwest VA. Held in his honor, “The Artie” is a weekend-long fun event featuring a century ride, food, and live music. For details and to register, see the Bike MS website. Proceeds benefit the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
For 2008, the Governor’s Conference on Greenways, Blueways, and Trails, the 54th annual Virginia Recreation and Park Society Conference, and the 10th annual BikeWalk Virginia Conference will be merged into one event October 4-7 in Richmond. It will be the largest conference ever held in Virginia focusing on outdoor recreation, trails, and non-motorized transportation. Conference details are available at the BikeWalk Virginia website.
VBF urges all bike advocates to attend, but mostly, to encourage your local officials and staff to attend — especially those from your regional (MPO) planning authorities. There is no better opportunity to network with people from state agencies like DCR and VDOT, to gain knowledge about best practices, and learn how to move your local projects forward.
Let’s be clear: at VBF we’re non-partisan in the Republican vs. Democrat sense. Both are well-represented on our Board. The only “party” we belong to is the pro-bicycling one!
Many of you may be asking, “Which candidate best represents our interests as cyclists? Is Obama the bike candidate?”
Something for every rider: a 25-mile Family Ride; a 27 mile Short Ride; a 40-mile Historic Ride; a Metric Century; a 72 mile Metric Century Plus, and a challenging , 100 mile English Century with just enough hills to give you a workout. Ride through Virginia’s history among Civil War battlefields and historic sites.
The Between the Waters Bike Tour is an ecotourism event highlighting the natural beauty of the Cheasapeake region. Featuring both Chesapeake and Atlantic shores, with views of marshes and barrier islands, the ride offers 25, 40, 60, and 100 mile options on the flat back roads of the Delmarva Peninsula.
The event is a creation of Citizens for a Better Eastern Shore (CBES), a nonprofit organization working to “support balanced growth while enhancing our quality of life and preserving our natural resources” on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. Proceeds help support the organization. Registration begins June 20, 2008; check the CBES website for details.
After many years of waiting, the Town of Pulaski finally has a direct connection to the New River Trail. The 2.2 mile New River Trail Extension was dedicated last weekend (Saturday, June 7, 2008). Congressman Rick Boucher delivered a keynote speech, while the public enjoyed a day of biking, hiking, running, and fishing events on the trail. The Southwest Times covered the event.
Three Northern Virginia adult education programs are separately sponsoring five cycling skills and bicycle maintenance courses taught by Allen Muchnick, a nationally certified League of American Bicyclists (LAB) Cycling Instructor. All classes meet on weekday evenings from 6:30-9:30 PM.
The five courses are (see longer descriptions, fees, dates, and locations below):
Bicycling 101, a 3-hour discussion of bicycling basics for new and intermediate riders.
Cycling with Confidence (LAB Road-1), the essential, comprehensive, and very practical 9-hour cycling skills course for *all* bicyclists;
Proficient Cycling (LAB Road-2), 9 hours of advanced cycling and mechanical skills for Road-1 graduates;
Bicycle Maintenance & Repair, a 3-hour lecture and demonstration; and
Bicycle Mechanics Workshop, a 3-hour hands-on sequel to any course listed above.
To register, contact the local course sponsor at least one week in advance: [Read more →]
“Cyclists fare best when they act and are treated as drivers of vehicles.” –John Forrester
This video by Brian D’Souza and Dan Gutierrez shows how, and why:
The discussion following this video on YouTube is well worth reading too, as it covers both California and Virginia law about lane position.
Update: if you’d like to learn to ride confidently and safely in traffic, like the cyclists in this video, and you live in northern Virginia or the District, consider Allen Muchnick’s summer 2008 bike safety classes.
