MassBike Update April 29, 2005

IMPORTANT: Safe Routes to School Bill Hearing This Tues., May 3

It seems to be the week for bike hearings at the State House. MassBike has just learned that THIS TUESDAY, May 3, the Transportation Committee will hold a hearing on one of our key initiatives, H. 2121, the Safe Routes to School Bill, which makes it easier for kids to bike and walk to school. The hearing will take place at 10:00 a.m. in the State House's Hearing Room A-2. Please join us to testify in favor of this bill and show its grassroots support! Email Mike to RSVP or to get more information on the bill.

Donate to MassBike Now and Enter to Win a Commuter's Dream Bike!

Landry's Bicycles and Cannondale are teaming up to help MassBike. From now until May 31, all donations of $50 or above to MassBike--either sent via mail or online--will be entered to win a gorgeous new Cannondale Street bike, donated by Landry's Bicycles of Natick, Westboro, Norwood, and Danvers. Your donations will benefit our Safe Routes to School initiative, which will make it easier for kids to bike and walk to school. All entries must be received by May 31, 2005. (No purchase is necessary to win; if you are not able to donate $50 or more to MassBike, please mail us a short letter explaining why you would like to win the bike and you will be entered in the contest.)

The lucky MassBike winner will receive a gift certificate, good at any Landry's Bicycle store, for the value of the Cannondale Street bike ($850). The certificate is also good toward any bike or other merchandise at Landry's store.

Click here to donate and enter to win your commuter dream bike now!

Fun Boston-to-Provincetown Ride Seeks Volunteers

It's nearly time for the 21st annual Boston-to-Provincetown ride, sponsored by Outriders and held on June 18. This is a one-day, 128 mile ride organized by gay and lesbian riders and their allies. Volunteers get a free t-shirt and delicious brunch.

Click here to help out this great event, which is donating $1 per rider to help MassBike!

Tuesday, May 3: Boston Kickoff for "National Mayor's Ride"

On May 3, at 4:30 p.m., bicyclists will gather in Boston City Hall Plaza to receive a Mayoral proclamation and send it off for the start of the northeast leg of the National Bicycle Greenway Mayor's Ride, a 51-city tour to show how bicycles can improve the health of cities as well as commuters. The Boston rally will include people on old-fashioned =93HiWheelers,=94 teens participating in earn-a-bike workshops, bicycle commuters, and members of local bike clubs and advocacy groups. It is being organized by the Boston Bicycle Festival, a non-profit working in partnership with the city to promote bicycling as a way of making Boston a better place to live and work. Other participating groups include MassBike and Bikes Not Bombs.

For more information, click here.

Tuesday, May 10: Come to Longwood Bike Nite

On Tuesday, May 10, the Longwood Medical Area is bike central! Mingle from 5:30-6:00 p.m., and from 6:00-7:30 p.m., you'll enjoy a talk on "Safe Biking in Massachusetts" by MassBike Executive Director Dorie Clark, followed by an "Urban Biking 2005" panel discussion and Q&A with participants including bike attorney Andrew Fischer and bike shop owner Jeffrey Ferris. The event is free and open to the public, and takes place at Enders Auditorium, Children's Hospital, 320 Longwood Ave. in Boston. The event is sponsored by MassBike, MASCO, and the Sports Medicine Division of Boston's Children's Hospital.

Monday, May 16: Redbones Bike Week Kickoff Event

On Monday, May 16, Redbones will host their annual tradition: the kickoff to Bike Week and a fundraiser for MassBike and NEMBA. The event, outside the restaurant at 55 Chester St. in Somerville's Davis Square, runs from 5:00-10:00 p.m. and your $15 ticket gets you bike valet parking, a Redbones sandwich & sides (vegetarian available), a beverage & two raffle tickets.

Learn more by clicking here

Volunteers Needed: Help in MassBike's Office and/or Count Bicyclists

MassBike is having a volunteer night on Wednesday, May 18 from 5:00-8:30 p.m. Come meet new friends, help out with office tasks, and enjoy some pizza! We=92re located at 20 Park Plaza, Suite 528, Boston.

Please RSVP to Dorie at MassBike.

Volunteers are also needed to help count pedestrian and bicycle volumes in the Boston area. The count will be part of a national counting project to develop research on bike usage. If you are able to volunteer, if only for a few hours, please contact Cathy Lewis at the Central Transportation Planning Staff (CTPS).

Places to be surveyed will depend on where volunteers live and how many volunteers are available. The dates/times of the survey are Tuesday, May 10, 7-9 AM; Tuesday, May 10, 3-5 PM; and Saturday, May 14, 12 - 2 PM. The rain dates are Wednesday, May 11 or Thursday, May 12.

June 2 and 4: Take MassBike's "Bicycling 101 for Adults" Course

MassBike is currently offering "Bicycling 101" in partnership with Landry's Bicycles and the MS Rides. It is geared to adults who are looking to get back into bicycling, improve basic cycling skills, and/or participate in a large-scale benefit ride. This course will teach you how to operate your bicycle more smoothly (including shifting gears), ride safely on roadways, increase your pedaling efficiency, climb hills more easily, participate in group ride events, and more!

The next Bicycling 101 course will be held Thursday, June 2 from 6:30-9:30 p.m. and Saturday, June 4 (rain date Sunday, June 5) from 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Both classes are offered at the National MS Society offices in Waltham.

Click here to register and for more information.

Update on Bicyclists' Bill of Rights and Responsibilities

Thank you to all the loyal MassBike members who came out for this past Wednesday's State House hearing on the Bicyclists' Bill of Rights and Responsibilities. The hearing was tremendously successful and 15 people testified in favor of the bill, with no one speaking against it. The Public Safety Committee plans to hold another hearing on the bill--we will announce the date as soon as it is confirmed--and will then vote on advancing it to the Ways and Means Committee, the next step in the legislative process.

Weekly Charles River Wheelmen Ride on Monday Nights

The Charles River Wheelmen, a major MassBike sponsor, are holding Monday evening rides this summer, starting May 9 and running until August 29 (excluding Monday holidays). The ride covers South Brookline and Newton and begins at 6:30 p.m. for 15 or 20 miles. This arrowed ride (including cue sheet and map) begins at the parking lot at the southwest corner of Cleveland Circle, intersection of Beacon Street and Chestnut Hill Avenue, Boston.

Contact the leader, Charles Hansen, for more details.

Join MassBike or Renew Online

If you’re reading this and you’re not a MassBike member—please join! (If you’re already a member, it’s never too early to renew!) We’re the leading bicycling advocacy group in Massachusetts, making change on a daily basis to help cyclists across the state. If you enjoy riding on the Minuteman Path, cycling to work, bringing your bike on the T, or just having fun, MassBike has been instrumental over the past 28 years in making that possible. Please join today and make us even stronger.

Click here to join or renew.

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