Tagged: Bike to Campus Day

Success

I just want to say thanks to everyone who helped make Bike-to-Campus Day a success.  Ty and Cort – thanks for helping me publicize the event.  Thanks to all the Memphis bike shops who displayed posters: Victory Bicycle Studio, the Peddler Bike Shop, Outdoors Inc., and Midtown Bike Company.  And a special thanks to the Peddler for donating the water bottles.  They were a big hit.

And a huge thanks to everyone who rode today.  I really appreciate everyone’s support.  As soon as I get some pictures, I’ll post them.  Cheers.

Spreading the word

I had a proper biking adventure over the past few days.  The goal: to deliver posters to the four bike shops in in-town Memphis to spread the word about Bike-to-Campus Day, which is next week.  Here’s what happened.

On Saturday I biked from home to campus to pick up the posters.  I then biked to the Peddler on Highland to deliver my first set of posters.  There I ran into Cort and we chatted for a minute before I headed off to my next destination: Outdoors Incorporated on Union.

I caught a lucky light at Belvedere and Union and was able to (hurriedly) bike east on Union for half a block before I turned into the parking lot.  I dropped off another set of posters before heading off again to my next (and final) destination of the day: Otherlands Coffee Bar on Cooper.

There I dropped off my last two sets of posters for the day.  I had hoped to make it downtown to Midtown Bike Company and to Victory Bicycle Studio in my neighborhood that day, but I ran out of time.

I took care of the first of those two errands this morning.  Around 9:30 this morning I headed east on Southern toward downtown, arriving at Midtown Bikes around 10:00 AM.  I left two posters with Daniel, the owner, and then biked to campus for a day at the office.  I was going to leave two posters at Victory this afternoon but forgot that they are closed on Monday.  Boo, my memory.  I’ll hit them up on Wednesday.

Here’s the map of combined rides on Saturday and today.

Screen shot 2011 09 26 at 8 40 35 PM

Pretty hot, huh?  And here’s a clickable link to the same.

Altogether I logged 28.3 miles on my bike in just over two hours.  Traffic was generally very manageable and I had only one close call.  Yes, cars should yield the right-of-way to bikes when leaving a stop sign.  Otherwise, skidding might happen.  Just sayin’.

Anyway, thanks for reading.  I hope to see you all at Bike-to-Campus day.  Here’s a poster for the event.  Cheers.

Bike to campus poster 0911

Weekend wrap-up

People.  I have good news (and bad) for the Memphis biking community: the Shelby Farms Greenline will be receiving $3.3 million to be extended east to Cordova.  This is awesome.  I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve been to Cordova in the five years I’ve lived in Memphis.  With this new cycling path, perhaps my visits out east will become more frequent.

But here’s the bad news: $1.1 million for a bike-lane project on Broad Avenue was declined.  I don’t know what this means for extending the Greenline west to Midtown – whether or not other sources of funds for this project have been identified – but it’s a drag to have this initiative not receive funding.

Have you registered for the Bluff City Blues 100?  I haven’t, but only because I’ll be out of town that day.  Get on that ride and support a good cause.

I’m not so crazy about e-bikes – I like an unassisted ride – but if I were to buy one, this might just be the one.

…..

Dear Santa,

I promise I’ve been a good boy this year.  I ate all my vegetables and made my bed every day.  Now just bring me some MonkeyLectric Lights and there won’t be any problems, fat man. Capiche?  Because I’ve got a u-lock with your name on it otherwise.

Love,

Doug

…..

A bicycle mecca?  Yes, please.  Also, I did not realize that Anthony Siracusa rode across the entire freakin’ US of A when he was only 16.  FTW, Anthony.

Don’t forget that funding for cycling projects is never guaranteed.  It’s a shame that we have to fight for these dollars.  Don’t hesitate to contact your local Congressional representative.

Drivers, be nice out there.

So, what is the difference between cyclists and drivers?  At least in my state we have equal rights to the roads?  Is there any reason to classify us differently?  I think not.

Big thanks to Cort and Ty for helping me promote Bike to Campus Day.  I hope to see you all there.  Let’s all show that Memphis is a cycling-friendly and active town.