Bike Friendly Universities and Thomas University

Bicycle Friendly Universities (or BFU’s) are being recognized by the League of American Bicyclists starting this year.  With only 26 universities making the cut on the 2011 BFU Master Award List, it seems as though universities are just starting to learn about the award program.

The Bike League, as they are frequently called, offers universities a quick scorecard to help them gauge where they stand. Although the bulk of the questions revolve around the organization’s Five E’s, the actual application also asks for the extent to which a university or college is partnering with local or on campus bike advocacy groups.

Rose City Cyclists member, Marc Santos, presented a brief overview to the components and benefits that BFU recognition would reward Thomas University with. A copy of the presentation is available for viewing and download via Issuu. The university’s Sustainability Committee were very excited about such a program’s potential at TU, and also listened to a presentation on the Thomasville Landmarks Multi-Use Trail by Thomasville’s GIS Analyst- Duane Treadon.

Rose City Cyclists will continue to provide information and support wherever possible with Thomas University’s Sustainability Committee. In the mean time, the below potential route maps remain on the drawing board. Stay tuned for more updates on these and other bike-friendly developments!

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T-Ville Suggestion: Yellow Bike Program for T-Ville

About a week ago, Parker from Grassroots Coffee came up to me and started explaining Austin’s Yellow Bike Project.

The Austin Yellow Bike Project (YBP) 501c(3) is an all-volunteer initiative to put bicycles on the streets of Austin and Central Texas by operating community bike shops, teaching bike mechanics and maintenance, and acting as a local bike advocacy group.

–AustinYellowBike.org

It’s an awesome opportunity for novice cyclists and those without the finances to buy or repair a bicycle to empower themselves.  Volunteers teach visitors basic mechanic skills and the free-to-use bike shop is stuffed with used parts and sem-ridable bikes for purchase.

Even cooler, they take abandoned bicycles, fix them up and slap some sunshine yellow on it for a ride that is free to use by anybody around town.  These bikes are parked willy-nilly for anyone to use; nobody locks them up or steals them because nobody ones them! So awesome!

What are your thoughts regarding cycling in Thomasville?  Take our poll and lend us your ideas as we start to look at making the bike ride more of the norm in town. Poll ends October 14th!

Rider’s Experience: Labor Day Ride by Jim Simpson

-Posted last Labor Day, September 5th after their 67 mile ride:

We left from Boston around 7:45. The weather was cloudy with a good chance of rain. The sun came out a few times and we rode through a brief shower. The wind drove us up Metcalf Rd at a good clip, and blew in our faces a little as we headed east. No one was dropped, and a good time was had by all!

Rider’s Experience: Saturday’s YMCA Ride by Michael Pozo

-Posted yesterday at the end of our Saturday YMCA ride starting at the Dawson YMCA

“Hello everyone,

Had great rides today. We started together and split into 2 rides. One group did a ride into Miccosukee and back up to Thomasville at about 19 Mph. Second group did the Springhill Rd. loop at about 15 mph. Was a fun ride.

Had a nice cup of coffee at end of ride.

Don’t forget about tomorrow morning at Bill and Kristy Wilhem’s. 355 Wagon Wheel Trail. Closest cross streets are Gatlin Creek and Summerhill. We’re leaving at 7am. Try to show up early to ride out by 7am. We have a big group confirmed. Looking forward to a fun ride. Some might run afterward, so bring shoes if you’d like to run a few miles.

Michael Pozo”

Books, Cycling, and Your Local Public Library

Sometimes, you just need to read something and see it with your own eyes. If books on cycling is what you’re craving, the Thomasville Public Library may alleviate that fix.  Although not all encompassing, the bookshelves at the Thomasville branch do host a number of appetite whetting titles- some a bit dated, and others fairly useful.  Focus is heavy on both mountain biking and touring as well as racing- 1 title seems fairly well rounded.  But I’d like to start with the Georgia-centric ones:

Georgia Biking Titles

• 25 Bicycle Tours in Coastal Georgia & the Carolina Low Country by Jane G. Kahn and Buddy Kahn(Pines)– These step-by-step directions and accompanying b&w maps will get you around some of the more scenic areas around Georgia and South Carolina; the authors also touch a bit on local history, sun issues, paths and road conditions as they list routes ranging from 6.7-61.4 miles
• Best Bike Rides in the South by Elizabeth and Charles Skinner (Pines)-Maps and step-by-steps for Alabama (3), Florida (9), Mississippi (4), Tennessee (5), the Carolinas (13), Virginia (5), and Georgia (7)

Mountain Biking Titles

• Mountain Biking- The Ultimate Guide to the Ultimate Ride by Bill Strickland (Pines)– Covers basic gear know-how, modulated breaking, and riding skills ranging from basic to expert- each with its own diagram
• Mountain Biking- Outdoor Pursuit Series by Don Davis and Dave Carter (Pines)– More like a scratching-the-surface type of read, there’s a bit of general bike-buying guidelines, basic techniques, stretches, a a mini tour-guide section in the back on mb-ing around the world

Touring/General Bike Title

• The Essential Touring Cyclist by Richard A. Lovett (Pines)– Biking basics (there’s a theme), training ideas to warm up for mileage, equipment and clothing tips, camping info, what it’s like to be on the road, and bike repair 101

Racing Bike Titles

• Greg LeMond’s Complete Book of Cycling by Greg LeMond and Kent Gordis (Pines)– LeMond’s take on cycling 101-401: includes your basics in addition to racing diets, training regimens, and a bit of history
• Bicycle Road Racing by Edward Borysewicz (Pines)– This ’80-’84 US Olympic Cycling Coach’s book is all about the yearly training plan and gets into time trials and team time trials as well as your traditional road race
• Bicycling Magazine’s Complete Guide to Riding and Racing by Fred Matheny (Pines)– It’s the 1989 edition and again covers everything form bike fitting, to special riding techniques, to night-riding, and training exercises (including weight lifting and diets)

From your RCC web guy,

Marc Santos

First Challenge: Spread the Word

The Rose City Cyclists’ first challenge is to spread the word about our organization and get more people on their bikes!

While we get enthusiastic about most riders, we get most excited for riders who ride safely.  That is why we are asking you to take our ride safely pledge– affording other cyclists, motorists, and pedestrians the same rights and courtesy we expect on the roadways.

Help to spread the word by asking friends, emailing, FaceBooking, and of course joining one of our group rides!

-Rose City Cyclists

Rose City Cyclists are on the web!

Welcome to the Rose City Cyclists website!

We’re a growing group of cyclists looking to help riders and interested riders of all levels get more out of their rides!

Follow along as we work together to build regular groups rides welcoming to all levels of fitness, work to improve overall safety and confidence of all riders, and celebrate physical fitness in general.

You will notice our website has a few features that will develop and grow as membership increases and the community at large voices its needs.  Our Rose City Cyclists Riding Etiquette and Georgia Laws pages review riding behaviors and rules to keep in mind on the roads and our Ride Board and Events Calendar (soon to come) display new and past group rides in and around the area.

Feel free to email us at rosecitycyclists@gmail.com for more information.  Stay tuned for more updates!