Still one of the best parts of my ride home.

This is one sweet looking ride.

Via cyclelicious, of course.

Introduction to the Genesee Valley Greenway (GVG) Trail Bicycle Ride Saturday October 4.
Meet at 9:45 a.m. for a 10:00 a.m. start at the trailhead in Canawaugus Park on River Road (Route 251) in Scottsville for a 15 mile ride.
The GVG is a flat trail with a hard packed dirt surface. Fat tire or hybrid style bicycle is best suited for this trail ride.
Bring water. Lunch in Scottsville after the ride is optional. Helmets required.
Ride Leader: Richard DeSarra,
rdsbike@rochester.rr.com

Saturday I biked waaay out to meet the Constantino brothers as they rode in to Albany. Then I listened to their speech and sat through the questions. And I want to make an almost desperately frustrated plea.

Please, for the love of Cog, stop whining.

I understand that it’s dangerous out there. I understand that people (in cars) don’t like us out there. I understand that people (on bikes) are getting hurt and killed out there. But is this all we’re going to talk about?

They didn’t make a new bike lane. They won’t stop bike thieves. They don’t give you three feet of space when they pass you. So what? Does anybody ever have fun on their bikes anymore?

Given all the doom and gloom, why would anybody want to start riding a bike?

This came from NYBC’s Jennifer Clunie today:

Dear Cyclists,

NYBC has received a number of calls and inquiries re: the LONG BIKE Back event tomorrow (Saturday, September 27th). Like trusty mail carriers, Pearson & Pete have ridden through heavy rain, fierce winds, blistering sun, and treacherous road conditions (16 flats & counting) since their journey began early this summer to deliver the Share the Road message to communities across the country. Our event is on rain or shine! If the weather is inclement tomorrow afternoon and you opt not to ride, we still encourage you to show your support and attend the Welcome Reception and Talk from 5:30-6:30pm, happening in the warm dry space of the UAG Gallery on Lark St.

For those wishing to ride the last 15 miles in with Pearson, Pete, and Julia, meet at the corner of Dunnesville Rd. & Route 20 (Western Ave), Dunnesville, NY. If you’re looking to ride a shorter distance, two alternate locations that are easily accessible on Western Ave. are the Twenty Mall (intersection of Routes 20 & 155) and in front of the Bank of America (across from Stuyesant Plaza/Fuller Rd.) Claire Nolan, NYBC Board member, will be accompanying our cyclists and will pick up individuals at all 3 of these locations.

5:30pm-6:30pm: “The Long Bike Back” Reception/Preview Screening at the Upstate Artists Guild Gallery, 247 Lark Street Albany NY 12210, co-sponsored by NYBC and the Upstate Artists Guild. Join us for a warm welcoming reception and early preview screening of a segment of “The Long Bike Back,” after which our featured guests will speak briefly about their journey, including Pearson’s recovery, and the need for motorists to be aware of vulnerable road-users. $10 donation ($5 student/low-income); proceeds for the event would benefit NYBC’s Share the Road campaign to increase bicycle safety awareness.

See article published in Thursday’s Times Union: Life-changing crash sparks ride for awareness: Message is that cyclists, drivers must share road

NOTE: bicycle parking is available in front of UAG Gallery and Lark St. BID. For more information about the event, visit NYBC.net or longbikeback.com.

We look forward to having you join us tomorrow,

Jennifer

Many Albany-area RocBike readers know Andrew, the cyclist in this story. It really makes my blood boil:

Tall, pink bike provokes alleged low blow

By MARC PARRY, Staff writer
First published: Thursday, September 25, 2008

Andrew Franciosa pedals a giant pink bike all over town, so the UAlbany junior is used to taunts.

But a 260-pound driver punching him in the head?

It may be a new one in the annals of local anti-bike rage.

The alleged assault, first reported in the Albany Student Press, took place on a recent Wednesday, as Franciosa rode his fluorescent bike toward UAlbany on Fuller Road.

Robert Dames drove by and “some words were exchanged,” said Albany police spokesman Detective James Miller.

Words turned to fists: Unprovoked, Miller said, Dames punched Franciosa in the face.

“It looks like a case of the defendant thinking that the victim was taking up too much space on the roadway,” Miller said.

Vertical space, maybe. The student rides a tall bike that he built by welding two frames together.

After the alleged attack, Franciosa told the Albany Student Press that he had a bloody lip and it hurt to brush his teeth. He didn’t know what set off Dames, who was charged with misdemeanor assault.

“I think he was mostly offended by how cool it (the pink bike) was when he was driving a ’92 Buick,” Franciosa told the paper.

The original story is here. It had a photo in the paper, but not in the online version.

A RocBike reader sent in this note:

Hi everyone,

I’m in Rochester and I commute to work by bike. I’ve been a RocBike follower for a few months now and I really enjoy reading everyone’s contributions. I learn something new every time I visit the site! I recently designed a cycling inspired shirt for threadless and thought you might like to check it out:

http://www.threadless.com/submission/179352/spokes_in_my_trees

There are quite a few entries, but it would be great to see this in
print! I’d love to hear your thoughts on the design.

I’ve also linked to RocBike from my website (lemonlightning.com) so hopefully I’ve been able to send a little traffic your way.

Thanks for taking the time to read this.
Ride safe,
jm

The League of American Bicyclists on Wednesday September 24 announced the recipients of the 2008 Bicycle Friendly Community Awards – http://www.bikeleague.org/news/092408bfc.php.

The City of Rochester and Monroe County of New York State were sited as honorable mention.

The League awards a four-year designation to communities that have made impressive, measurable efforts to integrate bicyclists into the community. There are four levels—platinum, gold, silver and bronze—awarded twice each year.

The League’s Mission is to promote bicycling for fun, fitness and transportation and work through advocacy and education for a bicycle-friendly America.

This is the first year the Rochester Bicycling Club has applied for designation on behalf of the City of Rochester and Monroe County.

Richard DeSarra, Rochester Bicycling Club Board Member , Trail and Road Advocate.

A follow-up to this: “Half of my birthday bike ride”

I ended up in Rochester for my birthday last Thursday, and met up with some of the old cruisin posse and a couple of other good friends for a birthday cruise to dinner at John’s Tex Mex, my favorite place for vegetarian tacos.

Karl snapped this at our favorite ped bridge to ride over. He’s got more pics on his flickr

Thanks Roc-City for making my birthday a blast! Cheers!

Buncha fun rides this Saturday, September 27th.

On Saturday, September 27 at 9:30 AM, Save the Pine Bush is sponsoring a bicycle ride from the Civil War Monument in Washington Park to the Pine Bush Discovery Center on Route 155, north of Washington Avenue Extension. Once at the Discovery Center, we be given a short tour.

When riding, we will follow all traffic laws, and stay together as a group. I have a route picked out (but, I always welcome suggestions!).

I would really like to have one or two more ride leaders to come with me. Would anyone be interested?

And, if you don’t want to be a ride leader, please, be a ride participant! Its a lot of fun to ride to our beautiful Pine Bush!

I expect we will return to Albany sometime in the afternoon, around 3:00 PM, depending on how fast we go, how long we stay at the Discovery Center, and whether we stop for food.

For more information:
http://www.savethepinebush.org/Current/Ski.html

And then there’s this one, which I’m psyched about.

After two years of recovery from a hit-and-run accident, cyclist Pearson Constantino and his brother Pete are riding across America to make our roads safer and inspire more bicycling. A documentary film, THE LONG BIKE BACK, is being made about Pearson’s inspirational comeback and the brothers’ epic ride.

Pearson was one of 44,000 cyclists to be injured by a motor vehicle in the United States in 2006; an additional 68,000 pedestrians were injured in traffic crashes.

On August 12th, brothers Pearson and Pete set out from Newport, Oregon, and will continue their cross-continental journey all the way to Cape Cod, Massachusetts along US Route 20, Main Street America.

Support NYBC’s Share the Road Campaign and join “The Long Bike Back” as they ride through NYS’s Capital.

Saturday, September 27th:
4:00pm: Pearson & Pete have invited cyclists, advocates and friends to accompany them the last 15 miles on their route to Washington Park, downtown Albany. Meet at the corner of Dunnesville Rd. & Route 20 (Western Ave), Dunnesville, NY, ready to ride (Please note: all riders must wear helmets–a rider will not be allowed on a ride if he/she does not have a helmet. Riders are expected and required to follow all traffic rules and regulations.)

5:00PM: arrival in Washington Park, downtown Albany.

5:30pm-6:30pm: “The Long Bike Back” Reception/Preview Screening at the Upstate Artists Guild Gallery, 247 Lark Street Albany NY 12210, co-sponsored by NYBC and the Upstate Artists Guild. Join us for a warm welcoming reception and early preview screening of a segment of “The Long Bike Back,” after which our featured guests will speak briefly about their journey, including Pearson’s recovery, and the need for motorists to be aware of vulnerable road-users. $10 donation ($5 student/low-income); proceeds for the event would benefit NYBC’s Share the Road campaign to increase bicycle safety awareness. For more information, please contact NYBC at nybc@nybc.net or (518) 436-0889. We hope you can join us for this event!

I have no idea where Dunnesville even is. As usual, anybody in the Helderberg neighborhood who wants to ride together, let me know.