Bicycle Friendly Community Workshop
A Bicycle Friendly Community Workshop will be held Wed, Jan 21 from 9am-1pm at the Coastal Georgia Center, 305 MLK Blvd. The workshop will be facilitated by Preston Tyree of the Washington, DC based League of American Bicyclists. Come by bike or bring one along, as there will likely be an on-bike component to the day’s events.
The LAB administers the Bicycle Friendly Communities Program, and the City of Savannah has completed the first of its two-part application. The four hour workshop will review facilities and programs in Savannah for their bicycle friendliness, and include a review of the Bikability Checklist.
Whether or not we as a community rise to the national definition of Bicycle Friendly Community (in Georgia, only Roswell has achieved this status), we are sure to learn about how to get better and closer to that goal.
We as bicyclists often face adverse conditions — this workshop represents a chance to look at those and discuss how we can make things better locally rather than complaining into the abyss — we are strongest when we speak together! Please consider joining us and Savannah city officials on Wednesday, January 21.
Following cycling on Twitter
In the last week I have somehow gotten addicted to Twitter. I had heard about it before but for some reason went there after hearing several times about Lance Armstrong using it. I have since found that many of the professional cyclists use it. Lance’s coach Chris Carmichael, team director Johan Bruyneel, former team mates George Hincapie and Dave Zabriskie, Giro winner Ivan Basso, and Garmin team members Tom Danielson and Christian Vandevelde. Right now I’m monitoring the Tour Down Under where Lance is racing where they are giving race updates, the Tour de France has one too but not sure yet how they use it. They will occasionally send “tweets” throughout the day of where they are or what they are doing, and will sometimes upload a picture of something they are doing or just saw. You can read them online or have them sent directly to your cell phone. Last week Lance Armstrong uploaded a picture, while riding his bike training, of his handlebars asking if his “twitteratti” prefered black or yellow brake hood covers and had everyone vote. Black one so he’s racing this week with black hood covers as voted by 5855 of us. Again I ask you what other professional sport allows its fans this much, now instant, access to it’s atheletes?
Another Bloomin’ Bike Ride
April 11, 2009. Metter, GA. Ride the beautiful, relatively flat country roads around Metter, the Capital of B.R.A.G. and Georgia’s only “Bicycle Friendly Community.” Ride lengths are 25 and 62 miles. Enjoy Another Bloomin’ Festival in the downtown park after the ride. There will be arts and crafts, sidewalk sales, food and entertainment. The ride is sponsored by The Metter Kiwanis Club and benefits the Local Youth Programs. For more info and registration visit MetterKiwanisClub.com
Southern Pride Ag Ride
March 21, 2009. 8:00. The Southern Pride Ag Ride The Wayne County Board of Tourism, the Wayne County Young Farmers and the City of Screven join together to sponsor the sixth annual Southern Pride Ag Ride. The ride begins at the Grace Recreation Complex on Bill Royal Street in Screven, GA. Options: 23, 48, 62 and 100 miles. There is a 9.3 mile family route for riders with young children available by request only. The century rides include mostly flat terrain but there are some rolling hills as the route travels closer to the Altamaha River. Routes will be flattop country roads traveling past cultivated farmlands in Wayne and Appling Counties. $30.00 Registration. For more info and to register visit WayneTourism.com
The Azalea Century Bike Ride
March 7, 2009. Registration $25.00: 7:00am-7:45am. Start and finish at South Lowndes Complex 6440 Ocean Pond Ave, Lake Park, GA 31636. For more info and registration visit ValdostaSportsandEvents.com
CBTC 38-28-18 mile Harris Neck Ride
Saturday March 14, 2009. 10:00AM. South Newport, GA: Take I-95 South to exit 67 (this is 1 exit further south than the Midway ride, 2 exits south of Richmond Hill). Turn left on Hwy 17/25 South. Go 1/2 mile, pull into McDonalds and park on the gravel parking lot behind the restaurant.. This is another rural loop route thru Harris Neck Wildlife Refuge and surrounds. Hosted by the Coastal Bicycle Touring Club. For more info contact Darrel Snuggerud 912-598-2181
CBTC 30 mile Liberty Trail Ride
Saturday January 30, 2009. 10:00AM. Meet at Holton’s Seafood Restaurant parking lot. Take I-95 South one exit from Richmond Hill to Exit 76, Midway/Sunbury exit, and go across the street at the exit. Hosted by the Coastal Bicycle Touring Club. For more info contact Vikki Graham 912-661-2396
Inspiration from The Man, Lance Armstrong
So, unless you live under a rock , you probably all know that Lance Armstrong is going to be racing again this year as a pro after retiring over three years ago. His schedule and role is much debated, especially during the month of July regarding a little race over in France, bu the has indicated that he wants to ride more of the Spring Races and target the Giro d’Italia which is Italy’s equivalent of the Tour de France. He will actually make his first race at the Tour Down Under starting this weekend in Australia. He’s been spending the last week in Hawaii training and before heading to Australia and I came across a picture from last Tuesday on the Big Island of Hawaii that reminds me of his young days training on the mountain sides of France. We don’t have any climbs like this in Richmond Hill but the next time you’re riding that bridge overpass over I-95 or the train crossing on Hwy 17, think about this picture of a 37 year old climbing a 5,000′ mountain in the island heat.
Lance Armstrong climbing the 5,000 ft Kaloko in Hawaii
Safe riding, give us three feet please!
Richmond Hill, or actually the roads south of Richmond Hill where most of us ride, are fairly safe with not a ton of traffic. I definitely feel more comfortable here than if I were riding in most of Chatham county around Savannah. But I found a new website/product today that is actually a neat idea, 3feetplease.com. They sell a jersey that is in safety yellow that I would have loved to have been wearing on more than one occasion riding up highway 144, especially on early morning or late evening rides when there isn’t a lot of bright light. Georgia does not currently have a 3 ft law though many other states do.
Tour de Georgia 2008
I hope some of you got to experience the Tour de Georgia. I got to visit the first stage that started at Tybee and ended in Savannah and see both the pre-race ceremonies and start at Tybee and then dash to Savannah in time to watch the high speed sprint finish in front of the Civic Center. I also got to meet many of the pros like former US Postal rider Frankie Andreu, CSC’s Bobby Julich, 2004 Olympic gold medalist of Rock Racing Tyler Hamilton, and Team High Road’s George Hincapie who I also got a quick video with (see below). I promise you this is one of the most exciting things you’ll see, even if you aren’t in to pro cycling, watching what the pros can do coming down a straight away after riding 100 miles and going faster than you can go when you’re not tired. There is no other pro sport where you can walk around, speak to, and actually put your arm around the athletes and say “Hey George” like you can in cycling. THANK YOU FOR COMING TO OUR CITY!