May is National Bike Month 05/18/2012 @ 09:00 AM

May is National Bike Month – Get Out and Celebrate Bicycling!

With the theme “It’s Easier Than You Think!” Bike Walk CT is taking the lead to encourage bike commuting on National Bike to Work Day, May 18. Breakfasts for bike commuters will be held in Bethel, Bridgeport, Hartford, New Haven, New London, Norwalk, Norwich, Stamford, Waterbury, West Hartford, and UConn Health Center (Farmington). See http://www.bikewalkct.org/bike-to-work/ for the details. We plan to have a friendly competition among the events – the prize is bragging rights for the bike to work event with the highest attendance per capita for the City in which it's located (so bigger towns won't have an unfair advantage). Another "prize" is showing that residents of your town are serious about non-motorized transportation and deserve attention and resources. Recruit your family, friends, co-workers, city officials and all the public and private sector employees you can convince that they should give bike commuting a try!”

check our latest Bike to Work information to be sure you have the most up to date information on the breakfasts and the meetups.

“Connecticut DOT will be well represented at Bike month events – Tom Maziarz will be at the downtown Hartford bike to work breakfast, Dave Head will attend the West Hartford event, and Kate Rattan will be in New London. And DEEP Commissioner Esty will be riding into the West Hartford and downtown Hartford events (from Cheshire!) PLUS, DOT (Colleen Kissane) will attend the Andover trail ribbon cutting and the May 19 Simsbury sculpture unveiling. Let’s have a big turnout at all these events to show state agencies how important investments in biking infrastructure are!”

May 1 kicks off the 3 month National Bike Challenge (www.nationalbikechallenge.org).  Whether you bike daily or infrequently, for recreation or for transportation, we need you and all of your biking friends to sign up.  Our goal is to end the challenge as a top 10 state, with your help we can get there.  And you will be eligible for prizes after just 3 days of riding! Download poster for the Challenge here

Bike Walk CT has a team of 10 and would like others to create their own teams .. something like Bike Walk CT - West Hartford Chicks,  or Bike Walk CT - Grande's or Venti's ..Bike Walk CT - Sound Cyclists... any name that both identifies your team as part of the Bike Walk CT organization and yet has an additional identity.

Simsbury has an event planned for almost every day during bike month, including the unveiling of the new bike sculpture on Sat May 19th . click here for a calendar of events for Simsbury.

Saturday May 12th @ 10am is the long awaited ribbon cutting for the Andover Bridge.

If you know of other events or more details about the above events, Please let us know and we will add it to the May is Bike Month calendar, our web site, FaceBook and eNewsletter. Send to bikewalkct@bikewalkct.org

as a side note.. do you know that on the Hartford Metropolitan CTTransit buses, there are about 5000 bikes per month which enjoy the ride.

Pedals for Progress Bike Collection, May 26th 05/26/2012 @ 07:22 PM

Pedals for Progress 11th annual Granby bike collection, Saturday, May 26th, noon to 3 p.m., at Holcomb Farm, 113 Simsbury Road, West Granby, CT.

$10 minimum donation toward shipping is requested with each bike. Cash and material donations are tax deductible and a receipt will be available at the collection site. For information call Jackie Johnson at 653-7758.

Ansonia's 2nd Annual Pierre' Lallement Festival of Bikes, June 3rd 06/03/2012 @ 07:52 PM

Event name: Ansonia's 2nd Annual Pierre' Lallement Festival of Bikes.

Time/Date: Sunday June 3rd.

Bike Run: 10:00 AM starting at the Lallement memorial plaque in New Haven and following to Ansonia City Hall.  Festival will commence upon the riders' arrival.

Details: Rampage BMX expo, ElliptiGo expo, helmet safety and give away, antique bike display, bike toss, bike swap, trike race, open cafe dining and more.

Register to ride: Vinnie Scarlata E-mail to: vinnie@scarlata.us or Phone: 203-732-3257

June 10th, Wintonbury Land Trust Bike Tour 06/10/2012 @ 06:14 PM

The Wintonbury Land Trust is holding its second annual bike tour through scenic Duncaster Rd corridor and northwest Bloomfield on June 10 (rain date June 17) at 9:30 AM. The 18 mile recreational bike highlights land trust holdings. There is an optional 20 mile extension through Windsor. To register visit www.wintonburylandtrust.org. For more information call 860-242-2526.

The Village Ride - June 16th 06/16/2012 @ 08:42 AM

Thomas Hooker Beer presents The Village Ride, on Saturday, June 16th at Ski Sundown in New Hartford, CT. Go to www.thevillageride.org to learn more about the premier cycling event in Connecticut dedicated to supporting our local children in need.

Saturday, June 16th At Ski Sundown, New Hartford

Routes: 25K, 50K, 100K

Registration: $35

Fundraising: $200 (earn Jersey at $350)

Benefit: The Village for Families & Children

Website: www.thevillageride.org

William Laramie Memorial Concert, June 17th 06/17/2012 @ 07:18 PM

East Hartford music gala to support music education and bicycling/pedestrian safety Musical artists from around the region will perform on Sunday, June 17, 2012, at the East Hartford Cultural Center to remember East Hartford resident, musician, and music teacher William Laramie. Laramie was killed September 1, 2011, when the bicycle he was riding home from work along Burnside Avenue was struck by an intoxicated driver.

The event will raise money to support music education programs in the East Hartford Public School System and Bike Walk Connecticut, a bicycling and pedestrian advocacy group. Attendees will enjoy a diverse assortment of musical styles, including folk, country, jazz, R&B, and rock, performed by musicians who knew and played with Laramie.  A tentative line-up appears below.

“Will often told me he was happiest when he was helping people,” said Linda Piotrowicz, Laramie's longtime partner. “His family and I wanted to do something constructive with our grief and continue in Will's tradition of assisting others. We are happy about the opportunity to team up with the East Hartford Schools Fine and Performing Arts Department and Bike Walk Connecticut to support the excellent work they do on a daily basis to make a difference in the community.”  Radio show host, author, and humorist Colin McEnroe will host the festivities, which begin and noon and run until 4:00 p.m. Open to all, admission is by donation. ($15 or more suggested; no one will be turned away.)

Tentative Line-Up as of April 3 (subject to change):

• The Guinea Pigs (folk/rock)
• Chion Wolf (folk)
• Jim Taylor and the JJ Diamond Band (country)
• Phil Palonen with the Jan Jundgen Trio (jazz)
• The VLM Project (jazz)
• The Tony Marvici Trio (R&B)
• The Jamie Ward Band (blues)
• The Burt Teague Band (blues/rock)
• Gene Donaldson and the Stingrays (blues/rock)
• Back Road National (rock)

The event will also feature a silent auction of goods and services, and organizers are currently seeking additional donations. For more information, contact Linda Piotrowicz at linda369369@netzero.com or visit the event page  on Facebook.  The event also has a website - www.WilliamLaramieMemorialConcert.org. 

CT River to the Shore Ride - June 24th 06/24/2012 @ 08:04 PM

A scenic ride along the CT River to the Shore points of Essex, the Goodspeed Opera House, the Devil’s Hop Yard State Park and Gillette Castle State Park. To Benefit the 13,000 athletes and partners of Special Olympics Connecticut

June 24th, 2012
Whelen Engineering
51 Winthrop Road
Chester, Connecticut

Schedule:

25 Mile Ride
Registration: 8:45 AM, Ride: 10:00 AM

75 KM/46.7 Mile Ride
Registration: 7:45 AM, Ride: 9:00 AM

100 Mile Ride
Registration 6:00 AM, Ride: 7:00 AM

Registration Fee: $50

For more information go to http://soct.convio.net/ride2012, call 203-230-1201 x231 or email Lisa Carlone at lisac@soct.org.

Cystic Fibrosis Cycle for Life, Westport - Oct 7th 10/07/2012 @ 07:41 PM

On October 7th we are holding our Annual CF Cycle for Life fundraising event down in Westport which not only raises money but raises awareness for Cystic Fibrosis. CF is a genetic, life threatening disease that affects the digestion system & the lungs in both children and adults. We currently receive no federal funding, so our special events are what largely fund our science and research.

To learn more about our ride please visit: http://www.cff.org/Chapters/connecticut/index.cfm?ID=20024&blnShowBack=True&idContentType=1289&Event=20024