discussion-l Mailing List: BikeAthens Discussion: BikeAthens announcement: 5/5/11

[Weekly announcements for BikeAthens (announcements-l]

Weekly Announcements 5/5/11

1. Celebrating National Bike to Work Month: Biking to Work in Athens from
the Eastside!
2. Group Ride this Friday, May 6
3. Speak out against proposed cuts to bus service!
4. New BikeAthens flickr group
5. BRP volunteer nights
6. Bike to Work Day Rally is May 19!
7. Elsewhere on the Athens bike scene

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Celebrating National Bike to Work Month: Biking to Work in Athens from the
Eastside!

Did you know that every mile driven puts a pound of pollution in the air?

May is National Bike to Work Month, and to celebrate BikeAthens is
publishing a series of bicycle and multimodal commuting routes from 4
neighborhood areas in Athens: Normaltown, College Station/Barnett Shoals,
Dudley Park, and Five Points. Last week we featured Normaltown and this
week the spotlight is on the Eastside and the neighborhoods around the
intersection of College Station and Gaines School Road! Routes are
accompanied by tips and advice from experienced commuters, such as when
and where to catch the bus, where to stop for a snack, and where to be
extra careful. If a route strikes your fancy, give it a try- Bike to Work
Month is all about taking that first step with the enthusiasm and support
of your community behind you! And if you would like to see your commute
featured or want to share photos from your commute in our flickr album,
just email them to admin [at] bikeathens.com. Sharing your experience can help
your fellow Athenians transition smoothly and pleasantly to a car-free
commute, and more bikes on the road makes a better and safer experience
for us all!

Check out this weekâs Eastside Routes at:
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&vps=2&jsv=336c&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=216125185509096106935.0004a25e3d2a3e8508b5b

Or Check out last weekâs routes from Normaltown at:
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=216125185509096106935.0004a15a8e93cd22ba972&z=13

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Second Group Ride next Friday, May 6

The second ride of the season is Friday May 6, starting and ending at
Earthfare in Five points. AND when we finish up with the ride there will
be a low country boil for a $5 donation provided by Earthfare for all
riders to enjoy! The BikeAthens Group Ride is a leisurely, law-abiding
group bicycle ride around Athens. The purpose of the ride is to
1) provide a safe, enjoyable atmosphere for all ages and skill levels to
ride bicycles, and
2) to demonstrate that bicycles, vehicles under state law, belong on our
public streets and roadways

These rides are great for folks looking to hang out and meet other
cyclists, for folks who would like to ride a bike in Athens but find the
roads scary, or for folks who would like to get experience riding in a
group. We hope to see you there with your helmet and plenty of water!
There will be goodies courtesy of Earthfare at the end!
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Speak out against proposed cuts to bus service!

ACC (not Athens Transit) has proposed cutting ALL night bus service in
response to the funding crunch this year. Current approximate hours of
operation are Monday through Saturday, 6 AM - 11 PM. Proposed cuts will
terminate service at around 6:30 PM. This is a real problem for second and
third shift workers who rely on the bus for transportation. We highly
encourage folks to come to one of the public hearings or submit their
comments in writing. If no one speaks up, this critical service will be
cut. Proposed cuts are detailed here:
http://www.athenstransit.com/assets/docs/Proposed_Service_Changes.pdf

Hearing Schedule (all take place at the MultiModal Center at 775 East
Broad Street unless otherwise indicated):
Thursday May 5, 2-3 PM
Thursday May 5, 6-7 PM
Monday May 9, 530 PM @ 120 Dougherty Street Governmental Building Auditorium
Thursday June 2, 2-3 PM
Thursday June 2, 6-7 PM

Comments can also be submitted online at:
http://www.athenstransit.com/contact-ats.html, or mailed or delivered to
the Multimodal Center.
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New BikeAthens flickr group

If you have a flickr account and have photos related to biking, walking,
and transit in Athens, please consider joining our new flickr group:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/bikeathens/ . Photos in this group will soon
appear in a sidebar widget on our forthcoming website rebuild.

Itâs easy to join the group: once youâre logged into flickr, go to the URL
above and follow the instructions to join. From there, simply click "add
photos" and you can post any of your relevant photos to the group pool. We
may select some outstanding shots for display on our site, in which case
we will contact you for permission.
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BRP volunteer nights

BRP workdays are held Mondays & Wednesdays from 6-8 and Sundays from
2-4:30 at the Chase St. warehouses. Volunteers need not have any knowledge
of bicycle maintenance; just be willing to get their hands dirty
repairing, tuning up, cleaning, and outfitting bikes. Feel free to bring
your own repair stands and tools although it is not necessary that you
have these items to participate.

BikeAthens' Bicycle Recycling program, a cooperative venture with local
social support agencies, distributes reconditioned bikes to individuals in
the Athens community who are underserved by private and public
transportation. We rely exclusively on volunteers to recondition the
bikes.
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Bike to Work Day Rally is May 19!

Hooray- May is national Bike to Work Month! We have a lot of fun
activities planned for the month including our annual Rally the evening
before Bike to Work Day. This year Earthfare will be hosting us on
Thursday May 19 from 4 - 7 PM. Come and speak one-on-one with experienced
commuters, learn about Commuter Rewards through the Clean Air Campaign,
receive assorted goodies, have your bike checked by a local mechanic, and
enjoy some yummy food from Earthfare! Weâre super excited and canât wait
to see you there!
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Elsewhere on the Athens bike scene

The 2011 Tour dâOconee- Tame the Lion!
On Saturday, May 7, 2011, hundreds of cyclists will descend upon
Watkinsville to try out their whips on the Lion of Oconee! The primary
course is 62 miles and there are optional routes of 15, 25, and 35 miles.
The whole county is involved, and downtown Watkinsville is pulling out the
stops with live entertainment Friday night for their "First Friday"
celebration. The ride is presented by the Oconee County Cycling
Organization, Inc. All riders who register by Saturday April 16 wil
automatically be entered into a drawing for cash prizes. Check out their
website to register and learn what taming the lion means!
www.TameTheLion.com

Broken Hearts and Bicycle Parts VII- Back Roads and Loads
The Sopo Bicycle Cooperative is proud to announce the seventh annual
Broken Hearts and Bicycle Parts fundraiser the weekend of May 7th! While
the event has traditionally centered around the alleycat race and benefit
concert at the finish line, this year there will be additional
bicycle-related activities all weekend to attract visiting cyclists,
encourage new riders, and maintain our committment to the cycling
community in Atlanta http://www.sopobikes.org/content/broken-hearts

Riding for a Reason with the Athens Land Trust
The Athens Land Trust is hosting a scenic 48 mile bike ride on Saturday
May 21! Proceeds will go to supporting the Land Trust, a local non-profit
organization with a 15 year history of protecting forest and farmland,
providing energy-efficient affordable housing, and revitalizing
neighborhoods. This includes building and renovating homes for low-income
families. The ride will start in Winterville and end in Washington. At the
end of the ride, folks will have the choice of either returning to the
start on a shuttle provided by the ALT, or staying overnight at the
Fitzpatrick Hotel and riding back the next day. Special rates will be
available for all riders and their guests. Registration begins March 15
To register or for more information check out their website:
http://www.athenslandtrust.org/. And if you are interested in volunteering
or becoming an event sponsor, contact Patty at 706-613-0122 or
patty [at] athenslandtrust.org

The 2nd Annual Agro Cycle Tour- May 21, 2011
The Agro Cycle Tour winds you through beautiful, low traffic, back country
roads to 4 intriguing agricultural destinations: A certified organic farm,
a biodiesel facility, a pastured Poultry farm and a traditional arts and
craft center. After your ride enjoy lunch from the farm to table
restaurant Farm 255 of Athens and the live music of the Free Jazz Jerks on
the grounds of beautiful Whippoorwill Hollow Organic Farm. There will be
20, 45, and 65 mile route choices. Find out more and register at
www.agrocycletour.com

Tour de Farm with P.L.A.C.E.
P.L.A.C.E. is once again hosting the 2011 Tour de Farm, a 3-day bicycle
tour that seeks to reconnect the community to their local food sources in
and around Athens, Georgia. The tour will visit a total of 10 farms,
covering a distance of 100 miles over 3 days. We will visit 3-4 farms per
day, stopping for a tour, and a snack of meal, and then camping out for 2
nights. This yearâs ride will be over Memorial Day weekend: Saturday May
28 - Monday May 30. The cost is $175 per person, to cover all your meals,
the vans to transport gear and food, a t-shirt, and compensation for the
farmerâs time and space, with all proceeds being donated to P.L.A.C.E.
Email AthensTourDeFarm [at] gmail.com to register!


And if you havenât seen any rides that appeal to you yet,
athensgabicycling.com keeps a calendar of rides of all lengths and skill
levels around town- so check âem out!
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Keep in touch at our blog http://bikeathens.blogspot.com/ and facebook
page http://www.facebook.com/pages/BikeAthens/126325948567


-- 
BikeAthens appreciates your continued support towards its mission of
improving transportation options in Athens-Clarke County. Get more info,
join, renew your membership, or volunteer at at www.bikeathens.com
_________________________________________________________________
- BikeAthens appreciates your continued support towards its mission of 
improving transportation options in Athens-Clarke County. Get more info,join, 
renew your membership, or volunteer at at www.bikeathens.com

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