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This Sunday, July 19th, The Study at Yale will be hosting Toran Gaal, a US Marine Vet who fought in Afghanistan and lost both legs during an IED explosion. Toran will be making his way to New Haven between 8am-9am as part of his 3,800 mile bike ride across the United States (arrival time subject to change).
Cheer Toran on or get on your bike and join him on the New Haven segment of his ride! Interested cyclists should plan on lining up on Chapel between York and Park around 8am. Check for updates at http://bit.ly/ridewithtoranand spread the word. Read more about Toran’s Ride Across America at http://www.lex18.com/story/29484487/making-a-difference-ride-across-america.  Bike Walk Connecticut promotes active transportation and bike commuting all around the state, but especially on Friday, May 15, National Bike to Work Day. Bike commuting reduces traffic, avoids pollution, saves gas, and burns calories. More than half of the U.S. population lives within five miles of their workplace, making bicycling a realistic, fun way to get to work. Rookies, veteran commuters and everyone in between are encouraged to pledge to Bike to Work then ride on May 15 at www.bikewalkct.org/bike-to-work. May is also National Bike Month, a month-long celebration of biking for fun, for commuting, for exercise and as a way to explore our communities. What: Bike to Work Day breakfasts and events are scheduled in cities, towns and at companies around the state. Most are on May 15. When: May 15, 2015, National Bike to Work Day Join Bike Walk Connecticut at the Old State House (WEST Lawn), 800 Main Street, Hartford, 7:30 to 9 a.m., Program at 8:15 a.m. Held Rain or Shine. Statewide Events: Other Bike to Work Day events will be held all across the state. For details, see www.bikewalkct.org/event-locations. As of May 14, Bike to Work celebrations will also be held at:
 The Farmington Valley Trails Council will hold its Annual Meeting on Friday, November 14th, at 7:00 pm. It will be held at the Avon Senior Center at 635 West Avon Road, (the Sycamore Recreation Area) Avon, CT 06001. Admission is free, and refreshments will be served. The program will consist of FVTC President Bruce Donald giving the year-end business report and updates on trail construction and other initiatives and news. Mr. Donald and the Officers and Directors will take any questions from the public.
Following the business portion of the program we are very excited to present a talk by Nicole Freedman, the "Bike Czar of Boston" and a former professional cyclist and member of the 2000 U.S. Olympic Cycling Team. A Massachusetts native, Freedman attended Stanford and MIT before cycling for the Shaklee, Charles Schwab, Credit Suisse, RONA and Basis professional racing teams. In the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia, she competed in the women's road race. That same year she won the U.S. National Road Race. In 2007 she became the head of the "Boston Bikes" initiative for the City of Boston under then Mayor Thomas Menino. After a brief hiatus in Maine, she returned to her position as Director of Bicycle Programs for the City of Boston in early 2013. Boston Bikes was launched in 2007 with the goal of transforming Boston into a world-class bicycling city. At that time, Boston had been rated three times as the worst cycling city in the country by Bicycling Magazine. Today, Boston has officially gained recognition as one of the great cities for cycling in the United States, heralding in a new era for bikes in Boston. Nicole's leadership has increased ridership and safety and initiated a myriad of projects that will fascinate interested listeners. Farmington Valley Trails Council www.fvgreenway.org For those who want to geek out on how state DOT design manuals can affect
bike- and ped-friendly streets, SSTI will hold a webinar on Tuesday Ocotber 21 featuring two people that helped "rewrite the book" in New Jersey and Massachusetts. Tuesday, October 21, 2 pm Eastern Rewriting the book: Context sensitivity design in roadway design and project development REGISTER HERE Eight years ago, both Massachusetts and New Jersey rewrote the book. Massachusetts entirely rewrote its design manual to incorporate a multi-modal, context sensitive approach to roadway design and project development . New Jersey joined Pennsylvania in writing an overlay to their manual interpreting standards in a context sensitive way. Both efforts changed the states? approach to design and project development. Our two webinar speakers worked for MassDOT and NJDOT and led the efforts in these two states. We wondered: Has anything changed? What was the process for the rewrite and how did they overcome resistance from internal DOT staff, politicians, and the public? What would they do different today, and what are the lessons learned? And is there more to do to design roads for the 21st Century? Join Luisa Paiewonsky, Safety and Operations Program Manager at Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, and Gary Toth, Senior Director, Transportation Initiatives at Project for Public Spaces to hear their perspectives on rewriting the book and new standards for design. More information and registration here: http://www.ssti.us/Events/rewriting-the-book-context-sensitivity-design-in-roadway-design-and-project-development/  In only a few more years, the longest interstate rail trail in New England will be complete, but what does that mean for tourism and economic development in the region?
There are lessons to be learned from NY and keynote speaker, Fran Gotcsik of Parks,Trails New York has first-hand knowledge about not only what happened there, but how it came to be. Saturday October 18, 2014, 9:30 AM Eno Hall 754 Hopmeadow Street Simsbury, CT Cost is $20 and includes a box lunch. State and local goverment officials from along the entire 84 mile corridor, tourism and hospitality industry officials, advocates and the press are all invited. There will also be an optional, guided bike tour of the area. Click here for the agenda and information about the keynote speaker and the bike tour. Please register at: http://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-interstate-trail-summit-tickets-12405957553?aff=es2&rank=15 Following are links to the ride routes for this event: Tune in this Saturday, Sept. 20 for another edition of the MetroHartford Alliance’s new radio show, “The Pulse of the Region,” with Alliance President and CEO Oz Griebel. The show airs Saturday morning at 8 a.m. on ESPN Radio, 97.9 FM. This week’s guests are Jackie Mandyck, Managing Director of the iQuilt Partnership, and Doug Suisman, Founder & Principal of Suisman Urban Design, who will discuss the urban design plan for Downtown Hartford and remind listeners not to miss this Saturday’s EnvisionFest Hartford, featuring more than 100 free events throughout the city.
The iQuilt Plan links Hartfords cultural assets with a vibrant and innovative pedestrian network. Its centerpiece is the GreenWalk, a one-mile chain of parks and plazas connecting the gold-domed Capitol in Bushnell Park to the waterfront of the Connecticut River. For one weekend in September, the cycling world will turn its attention to Hartford, Connecticut and the CT Cycling Festival. As some of the best professional and amateur cyclists come to Hartford for the season’s most anticipated late-season race events, the state of Connecticut draws its attention to downtown Hartford. MORE
Bi-State Trail Summit
New Haven to Northampton Trail Group Saturday October 18, 2014 Eno Hall, 754 Hopmeadow Street/CT10 Simsbury CT. In only a few more years, the longest interstate rail trail in New England will be complete, but what does that mean for tourism and economic development in our region? There are lessons to be learned from NY and our keynote speaker, Fran Gotcsik of Parks, Trails New York has first-hand knowledge about not only what happened there, but how it came to be. Cost is $20 and includes a box lunch. State and local officials from along the entire 84 mile corridor as well as tourism and hospitality industry officials, advocates and the press are invited. There will be an optional, guided bike tour of the area. Go to www.2014TrailSummit.org for the agenda and information about the keynote speaker and the bike tour. Please register at: http://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-interstate-trail-summit-tickets-12405957553?aff=es2&rank=15 CCAP Connecticut Cycling Festival Hosting two Fun Fall Rides along the Connecticut River on Saturday September 20 CCAP's Connecticut Cycling Festival kicks off with two challenging and picturesque rides starting at 8 a.m. on Saturday, September 20. This is the start of a two day festival celebrating cycling in Hartford. Both Gran Fondo rides start on Elm Street near the Pump House Gallery in Bushnell Park and follow the southern Connecticut River Valley. The 45 mile course will go down Middletown and back while the epic 100 mile ride will go to the mouth of the Connecticut River in Old Lyme. Riders are welcome to ride at their own pace. Come join Paul Lynch riding in the Gran Fondo. Lynch grew up in Colchester Conn, and is 21 years old and now on the USAC Pro Development Team riding in the Gran Fondo. Check-in begins at 6:30 a.m. and both rides are expected to start at 8 a.m. When the riders return at their leisure, any time between noon and 4 p.m., they will be treated to a barbeque in Bushnell Park and EnvisionFest will be underway which celebrates the ingenuity of the city's and state's industries, artists and people, while offering an update on the transformation of Hartford through the iQuilt plan. Registration is $95 through September 12 and $105 the week of September 13-20. The ride is limited to 500 riders so early registration is encouraged. Learn more at cyclingadvancement.com/events/ct-gran-fondo There will be awards for the best time during one well marked, challenging segment for the 45 mile Gran Fondo and three well marked segments within the 100 mile route. Further segment details and Connecticut Bed and Breakfast rest and fuel up stops can be found on the rides with GPS website or in advance by visiting these links: 100 MILE / 45 MILE. During the Gran Fondo ride you can expect fully staffed and stocked rest stops with endless food, drink and medical/mechanical support. All entrants will receive a CCAP Connecticut Gran Fondo finishers T-Shirt. There will be an exceptional post-ride festival with food, drink and loads of entertainment, in partnership with downtown Hartford’s EnvisionFest. The Connecticut Cycling Festival is also hosting a variety of family friendly events and a series of entry level, professional and youth-oriented bike rides and races in downtown Hartford on Sunday, September 21, 2014. Starting on Asylum Street along side the XL Center, the races cover a one mile circuit through downtown Hartford, circling four city blocks and are designed to offer stimulating riding opportunities for riders of all ages. There will be medals and $10,000 in total cash prizes awarded to the top level winning participants. There will even be an Urban Mountain Bike Race, a Freestyle bike show both Saturday and Sunday, music, bands and more family entertainment. As a fundraiser for the Connecticut Cycling Advancement Program (CCAP), the race proceeds and all activities help create a community where youth can learn and thrive through the sport of cycling in and out of schools across the state. The Connecticut Cycling Festival also includes a course-side family-friendly exposition area and food vendors. The CCAP mission is to better the lives of youth and young adults through the sport of cycling. Their goal is to create, sustain and grow high school bike club programs throughout the state. Additionally, the CCAP aims to create a junior travel team for youth 18 years and under and form an elite development team for the state. Cycling is a lifelong sport that teaches an incredible number of principles that make our youth and young adults healthier, happier and better members of a community. More than 200 volunteers are needed to help make this an incredible sports and community event. Please visit http://cyclingadvancement.com/events/ct-cycling-festival/ to learn more or sign up! Volunteers are the hub at the center of the CCAP wheel. Volunteer sponsorship is available for $5,000. About the History of Bicycling in Hartford: Hartford is the home of the development and manufacturing of the bicycle because of the U.S. Businessman, Colonel Albert Augustus Pope who came to Hartford when he outgrew his Boston location and looked for new manufacturing facilities. By the mid-1890s, at the height of the bicycle craze, Pope was manufacturing about a quarter million Columbia brand bicycles annually here in Hartford. A major problem for bicycles in this era was the lack of suitable roads. He formed the League of American Wheelmen to petition governments for improved roads. Perhaps more than anyone in America, Pope was instrumental in the building of modern roads systems in America. Colonel Pope bears the undisputed title ‘Father of the American bicycle." For additional details, see CCAP's info at https://www.bikereg.com/ctcyclingfestival.
Join Bike Walk Connecticut at the Old State House on Tuesday at noon! Please register online at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Z93SDMV .   |
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