Joshua Poppel of the New York Bicycling Coalition wrote about tonight’s Albany Common Council meeting in his first post for RocBike.com. (Welcome, Joshua!) The meeting was attended by a half-dozen cyclists — Mary Lou, Joshua, Andrew, Tom, George and me. Mary Lou, Joshua and I each spoke during the public comment period, thanking Councilman Calsolaro for his resolution and commenting on the state of cycling in Albany.

Mary Lou talked about the job of educating drivers to respect cyclists, and mentioned several of the events coming up during Capital Bike Month. I talked about the difficulties of cycling around the city of Albany, particularly for a family that’s trying to go car-free, which means riding with little kids. Joshua talked about the importance of the council’s endorsement of bike month, which he referred to as a no-cost way for the city to encourage cycling and smart transportation alternatives.

Later in the meeting, when the resolution came up for a vote, every member of the council co-sponsored it, and three of them spoke out in detail — Councilmembers Dominick Calsolaro (Ward 1), Corey Ellis (Ward 3) and James Sano (Ward 9). All three thanked the cyclists for coming to the meeting.

Councilman Sano said he’d recently looked through his garage and found five bicycles. He said he came up with enough parts to build one for himself. “I realized that I know how to work on bikes,” he said. Then he donated the rest of the bikes to Troy Bike Rescue.

Councilman Ellis said he knew a man who’d recently found a job and who then went to Troy Bike Rescue to build up a bike so he could ride to work. A few days later the man came in again. Councilman Ellis asked him whether something was wrong with the bike, and he said that he’d been hit by a car on the way to work. Councilman Ellis called on the Common Council to work to make Albany a safer place for cyclists.

Following the meeting, Councilman Ellis came over to us and said it was important for us to show up at the upcoming meeting for the city’s comprehensive plan. As soon as I locate that on the city’s site, I’ll be sure to post it.

TAKE ACTION! Please contact your member of the Common Council and thank them for sponsoring the resolution. You’ll find all their contact information here.

Here are photos from tonight’s meeting:

[Show as slideshow]

From the Albany Times-Union:

ALBANY — The New York Bicycling Coalition is seeking nominations for the organization’s 2008 Capital District Bicycle Commuter of the Year Award.

The coalition is asking that submissions include a brief written discussion, in 50 words or less, of why the person nominated is worthy of the award. The deadline is May 5.

Winners will be announced during Capital Bike Week, May 12-16.

Entries may be sent to: New York Bicycling Coalition, P.O. Box 8868, Albany, NY 12208.

Entries also may be e-mailed to: cbnolou@yahoo.com.

Come one, come all! The full events calendar is at NYBC.net.

Friday, May 2

5:30 - 9:00 p.m.: Urban Ride & Grand Opening of “Dream Wheels” exhibit at UAG Gallery, 247 Lark St., Albany. Show runs 5/2-5/23. Proceeds benefit NYBC and the Albany Bicycle Coalition. Urban ride departs at 5:30pm from Civil War Memorial in Washington Park (intersection of Henry Johnson Blvd. & State St.). 12-mile route featuring ABC’s Albany Bike Map and proposed bike routes; returns to UAG gallery for Grand Opening Gala.

Sunday, May 4

10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.: Free “Open House” Day and BBQ at SMBA Trails. Team LUNA Chix of Upstate NY and the Saratoga Mountain Bike Association (SMBA) will be co-hosting several mountain bike rides throughout the day for various ability levels on the SMBA trails in Saratoga Springs. [NOTE: You are not required to be a SMBA member to attend this event.] Beginners, intermediates, and experts all welcome and encouraged to attend. For more information, visit www.saratogamtb.org or contact john@saratogamtb.org or treesawmtb@yahoo.com.

Jason sez: Here’s what’s happening in Albany during Capital Bike Month. More info is at NYBC.net.

DOWNLOADS

• Capital Bike Month flyer (PDF)
• 50 Ways To Celebrate Bike Month (PDF)
• Ride of Silence flyer (PDF)
• Poster Contest Rules (PDF)
• Safe Cycling For Kids flyer (PDF)

EVENTS

May 1st-31st

“Let’s Celebrate Bike Month!” Poster Contest for kids. Submissions accepted 5/1/-5/28; awards ceremony 5/31 during bicycle safety education class at Guilderland Public Library (see 5/31, below). Co-sponsored by the Guilderland Public Library and Altamont Free Library. Free and open to all children ages 4-17 throughout the Capital District. Prizes & giveaways sponsored by Plaine and Son and the Mohawk Hudson Cycling Club.

Friday, May 2

5:30 - 9:00 p.m.: Urban Ride & Grand Opening of “Dream Wheels” exhibit at UAG Gallery, 247 Lark St., Albany. Show runs 5/2-5/23. Proceeds benefit NYBC and the Albany Bicycle Coalition. Urban ride departs at 5:30pm from Civil War Memorial in Washington Park (intersection of Henry Johnson Blvd. & State St.). 12-mile route featuring ABC’s Albany Bike Map and proposed bike routes; returns to UAG gallery for Grand Opening Gala.

Sunday, May 4

10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.: Free “Open House” Day and BBQ at SMBA Trails. Team LUNA Chix of Upstate NY and the Saratoga Mountain Bike Association (SMBA) will be co-hosting several mountain bike rides throughout the day for various ability levels on the SMBA trails in Saratoga Springs. [NOTE: You are not required to be a SMBA member to attend this event.] Beginners, intermediates, and experts all welcome and encouraged to attend. For more information, visit www.saratogamtb.org or contact john@saratogamtb.org or treesawmtb@yahoo.com.

Monday, May 12

5:30 p.m.: MHCC presents “Warm up for Bike to Work Day” Ride. Check your legs and practice your commuting route with the added benefit of increased safety in numbers that fellow cyclists can provide. Meet at 5:30pm at CDTA Delmar Park & Ride (intersection of Route 32 & 52, Delmar) for 13 mile round-trip venture from Delmar to Empire State Plaza in downtown Albany. Ride departs at 5:45pm. See www.webmhcc.org or contact kjempie@earthlink.net for more details.

Tuesday, May 13

9:00 - 10:30 a.m.: Legislative Breakfast. LOB Room 211A. Similar to the League of American Bicyclist’s National Bike Summit, this is an opportunity to learn about the latest state legislation pertaining to bicyclists and pedestrians, voice your concerns, and interact with your local and state representatives. Co-sponsored by CK Cycles. RSVP to nybc@nybc.net by Friday, May 9th.

10:45 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Ride around the Capital. Following the breakfast, there will be a short ride around the State Capital and downtown Albany area.

5:00 - 8:00 p.m.: “Tune Up Your Bike Night” and Free Repair Clinics at Troy Bike Rescue, 15 Trinity Place, Albany, NY 12202. For more information, call 518.986.2256, email troybikerescue@gmail.com, or visit www.troybikerescue.org.

Wednesday, May 14

5:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.: Bicycle Rodeo for Kids and Families. Free bike safety checks and helmet giveaways for children; one child’s bike will be donated to recipient of “Citizen’s Award,” chosen by Boys & Girls Club (B&GC). Location: Boys & Girls Club, 400 Craig Street, Schenectady. Co-sponsored by Plaine and Son and the Boys & Girls Club of Schenectady.

Thursday, May 15

5:00 p.m.: Commuter Contest: car vs. bus vs. cyclist. Location: Starbucks to Starbucks (downtown Albany to Stuyvesant Plaza). Fabulous prizes & swag courtesy of Steiner’s Sports. For more information, email nybc@nybc.net.

Friday, May 16

Bike to Work Day. 6 staging areas with mapped routes and bicycle escorts to downtown Albany; 3 rally points with designated bicycle parking; and a “commuter buddy” program offered to cyclists who choose not to ride alone. Co-sponsored by Downtown Albany BID, CDTA, O.G.S., Sports Signup, Sandwiches to Go, Steiner’s Sports, The Down Tube, Elevate Cycles, Easern Mountain Sports, Steuben Athletic Club, Capital District YMCA and Bruegger’s Bagels. Register in advance at biketoworkalbany.org.

7:00 p.m.: Film showing of “Contested Streets” at Guilderland Public Library (2228 Western Ave., Guilderland, NY 12084). Brief discussion to follow. Free and open to the public. Co-sponsored by Guilderland Public Library & New York Bicycling Coalition.

Saturday, May 17

10 a.m. - 3 p.m.: “Savvy Cyclist” Road Class. Location: University at Albany, 1400 Washington Ave., Albany, College of Arts & Sciences Bldg. Room 123. This course is offered free of charge and brought to you by NYBC and a grant from the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee. RSVP to nybc@nybc.net by Thursday, May 15th to reserve a space.

Wednesday, May 21

6 p.m.: Ride of Silence (Albany). Start location: Corning Preserve (downtown Albany). 12-mile route will pass ghost bikes commemorating the deaths of 3 local cyclists. For more details, visit www.rideofsilence.org or email Claire Nolan or Sue Troll.

Saturday, May 31

10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.: Safe Cycling for Kids (and Their Parents) Workshop. Guilderland Public Library. Winners of Bike Month poster contest announced and prizes distributed. Fun for the whole family! For more information, contact Jennifer Ogrodowski, Guilderland Public Library, at (518) 456-2400, ext. 34 or Judith Wines, Altamont Free Library, (518) 861-7239.

From the Rails-To-Trails Conservancy:

Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) has a host of fun suggestions to get you walking and biking around town! And if you’re already doing so regularly, this is your chance to be part of a larger event, and inspire others to enjoy active transportation.

April 7-13 is National Public Health Week (NPHW). RTC is a partner and this year’s theme is “Climate Change: Our Health in the Balance.” All around the country, individuals will be making the connection between personal health and the health of our planet, and how both can be improved by walking and biking more, and driving less.

In particular, Tuesday, April 8, is “Travel Differently Day.” Organizations and communities around the country are encouraging individuals to walk or bike instead of drive. NPHW’s online calendar lists events around the country in which you can get involved. Find out about a local event and join the movement to improve your health and the climate at the same time.

If a “Travel Differently Day” event isn’t happening in your area, check out RTC’s online trail-finder and discover a rail-trail near you that can put you on the path of active transportation.

Finally, do you want to make walking or biking a more regular part of your life? Take the Burn Calories, Not Carbon! pledge and make your voice heard. By pledging to walk and bike more and drive less, you send a message to your political leaders that you want more transportation choices in your community.

Thank you and have fun “traveling differently,”

Rails-to-Trails Conservancy

On Tuesday, I have a staff meeting in Saratoga. I’m going to celebrate “Travel Differently Day” by riding my bike to the train station and then getting to Saratoga by train rather than car.

From the Rails-To-Trails Conservancy:

Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) has a host of fun suggestions to get you walking and biking around town! And if you’re already doing so regularly, this is your chance to be part of a larger event, and inspire others to enjoy active transportation.

April 7-13 is National Public Health Week (NPHW). RTC is a partner and this year’s theme is “Climate Change: Our Health in the Balance.” All around the country, individuals will be making the connection between personal health and the health of our planet, and how both can be improved by walking and biking more, and driving less.

In particular, Tuesday, April 8, is “Travel Differently Day.” Organizations and communities around the country are encouraging individuals to walk or bike instead of drive. NPHW’s online calendar lists events around the country in which you can get involved. Find out about a local event and join the movement to improve your health and the climate at the same time.

If a “Travel Differently Day” event isn’t happening in your area, check out RTC’s online trail-finder and discover a rail-trail near you that can put you on the path of active transportation.

Finally, do you want to make walking or biking a more regular part of your life? Take the Burn Calories, Not Carbon! pledge and make your voice heard. By pledging to walk and bike more and drive less, you send a message to your political leaders that you want more transportation choices in your community.

Thank you and have fun “traveling differently,”

Rails-to-Trails Conservancy

On Tuesday, I have a staff meeting in Saratoga. I’m going to celebrate “Travel Differently Day” by riding my bike to the train station and then getting to Saratoga by train rather than car.

Well, in a little behind-the-scenes conversation at Team RocBike, Jason actually accused us of having become…motorists (due to the paucity of posting here of late). Jack, as is his right, responded with righteous indignation.

I, however, did not. Sad to say, my winter months were full of more driving than cycling. My excuses? I took on an extra teaching gig in the ‘burbs, necessitating several 13 hour days with no way to be everywhere I needed to by bike (or bus) commute; I have a 17-year old daughter who required (until she recently got her license) rides for herself, her trumpet, and her 20 pound backpack to various musical performances and events throughout the 7-county area; and, well…I don’t like to bike on ice, which is mostly what we had throughout January and February. (p.s. if you think I’m exaggerating about the length of my days, the weight of DD’s backpack, or the locations of her performances…I’m not.)

So now I atone for my sins (and you get to help!). I’m participating in the Adore Your City bike ride and community service project to raise funds (and do some physical labor) for Rochester’s “Clean Sweep” project. I have to raise at least $180! Please consider sponsoring me through PayPal, at my45thyear@yahoo.com.

Our friends over at Full Moon Vista are organizing the ride. Registration deadline was April 1…I don’t know if they’re still taking riders or not, but give them a call if you’re interested in riding yourself!

Here’s to much more riding in April!

RocBike reader and cycling guru Richard DeSarra sent along this handy form to use to report road hazards:

• Road Hazard Reporting Form (PDF)

Many of you are familiar with the usefulness of Google Maps for planning bike trips. It’s designed primarily for use by motorists, but with a few tricks it makes finding your way somewhere by bike very easy.

Start planning your trip by clicking on the “Get directions” tab under the Google Maps search bar. Enter your start and end addresses, and Google offer you its best guess on how you want to get there, which will often take you over highways:

Luckily, there’s a checkbox called “Avoid Highways” that you can click to have Google Maps find the shortest route that doesn’t use highways:

But it gets even better. Many cyclists feel that traveling on back roads can be more pleasant and safe than sticking to high-capacity arterial roads. Google Maps puts you on the major arterial roads when it can, but lucky for us, the interface allows you to click and drag your route and find better ways to get to your destination:

This should take one-way streets and “no left turns” into account, so you hopefully won’t run into any surprises on your route. Click the “Link” button to generate a link to save or share. Click “Print” to print out a handy guide you can put in your pocket. And then get on your bike and try it out! Google Maps was quite useful in helping Caitlin and I figure out our morning route across Rochester.

There’s plenty of room for this web application to improve. Since it isn’t built for cyclists, it has no information on mixed use paths or bike lanes. Sites like byCycle.org and Bikely have built some interesting services on top of Google Maps, but wouldn’t it be cool if there was a “Bike There” feature as part of the Google Maps interface?

In fact, there is an online petition you can go sign right now (thanks, Nicole!) to ask Google to do just that! I don’t know how effective these online petitions are, but at the very least it lets the Google Maps team know that there are thousands of people out there who would love to use this feature.

The blogs are abuzz over this year’s Bike to Work Week. Do you think Rochesterians can get fired up about biking to work? Can a weblog like RocBike.com fan the flames of the bike commuting movement in our fine city? I say we find out!

Want to help? We’ve got three months to pull this off! I’ll go about building a little section to this site explaining the purpose of Bike to Work Week, what bike commuting is all about, and featuring businesses, government agencies, blogs, civilians, and other organizations that help us out. We’ll want to start talking to local businesses — from bike shops to smoothie bars — about holding special events or free giveaways for bike commuters during the week. We’ll also want to think about promoting a couple rides that week to get people interested in the social aspect of bike riding.

The League has some great materials on their site, including an organizer’s kit and various brochures. Take some time to look things over, think about what you’d like Bike to Work Week to be like and what you’d like to do to promote it, and if you’d like to help, leave a note in the comments or e-mail me at .

Jason sez: Eric Larsson has contributed links to the daily list before. Here’s his first essay. Welcome, Eric!

Rochester needs a youth bike program.

I like the earn-a-bike model. Kids come to the shop, learn a hands-on repair curriculum working on donated bikes, and ride away on a bike of their own (with a helmet on their head). Two great examples are Bikes not Bombs and Recycle a Bicycle. We could go well beyond that. Maybe incorporate a local chapter of Trips for Kids. It could offer adult classes and a community workshop like the Broadway Bicycle School. If a few engineers, welders and machinists stepped up to the challenge it could be a human powered business incubator something like the Center for Appropriate Transport.

Rochester has all the elements to build and support something great: a well-developed bike culture, a large population of college students, a vibrant network of non-profit organizations, and plenty of kids to serve.

If I wasn’t so old and lazy I wouldn’t be writing this — I’d have already launched a youth bike program in Rochester. But, I co-founded one in Worcester, Massachusetts ten years ago, and now it’s time to step aside while the new talent steps forward. I’m happy to offer up free advice tempered by experience. I’ll share some good contacts. I might make a few phone calls or go to a meeting. I will make one concrete promise: I’ll secure at least one startup grant for anyone serious enough to take this on. Why wait? Let’s roll!

This announcement was on the Rochester activist list this morning:

Bike Santa and the Bike Repair Helpers Spring into Action, Giving Away Bicycles to Kids Organized Through the First Genesis Missionary Baptist Church on Dec. 8th at Santa’s Bike Shop, 226 Hudson Ave.

Contact: Dan Lill via e-mail or by phone at (585) 865-9872.

Santa’s Bike Shop (226 Hudson Avenue) will be giving away bicycles to approximately 30-40 kids @ 226 Hudson Avenue at 10am, Saturday December 8th. FHF Exec. Director Andrew Stankevich will be dressed up as a clown making balloon animals for neighborhood kids. The kids have already been pre-selected; no more kids are needed.

In addition to servicing individuals from the immediate neighborhood and from referrals through area nonprofits, Santa’s Bike Shop will be providing free bicycles to the boys and girls through the First Genesis Missionary Church (292 Hudson Avenue), an immediate neighbor of the Hudson Ave. bike shop. Dan Lill (“the bike santa”) said, “We got the sled out of the basement and were gearing the reindeer up so that I could fly from house to house, drop down the chimney and leave bikes under the Christmas trees for all of the nice boys and girls of the poverty-stricken Upper Falls neighborhood. However, after coordinating an extensive feasibility study, Friends Helping Friends determined that it would be most efficient to partner with another neighborhood organization and invite kids to the warehouse so that we could better customize the bikes for each individual kid.”

Missionary Vera Crumpler (First Missionary Baptist Church/Citywide Youth Crusade) said, “I organized all of the kids who really wanted bikes for Christmas, but their moms and dads couldn’t afford to buy them one. The kids will come with their parents to pick up their bicycle.”

Andrew Stankevich will be performing as a clown and making balloon animals for neighborhood kids during the bike giveaway. “We’ve got our own strategic initiative to combat crime & violence in the “crescent” of Rochester. It’s called neighbors working together to spread God’s love by giving away free bicycles,” said Stankevich.

Join us tonight (Wednesday) for a fun-filled Cruiser Ride through Rochester neighborhoods. Cruiser rides are laid-back moving social gatherings with music, lights, and all sorts of bikes, and all are welcome! No agenda — just good fun, good friends and good ridin’. Be sure to bundle up as we approach the colder season, but don’t overdo it. You’ll warm up as we ride. And if you don’t, the post-ride beer or hot chocolate will help. Meet outside of Monty’s Krown at 8 p.m. Monty’s Krown is at 875 Monroe Ave in Rochester, right near 490. (If you want to eat first, several of us will be at Dogtown Hots at 691 Monroe Ave around 7 p.m. They have vegan fare, in addition to regular hots.)

Here are photos and more from the last two rides:

• The Halloween Ride (10/31/07)
• The Superhero Cruise (11/07/07)

Jason sez: Someone responded to Amy from the Messenger-Post Newspapers, but there’s been a snafu, as Amy relates:

Hello y’all. It’s the reporter again.

I’d like to thank whoever replied to my posting, however, unfortunately I lost your email. I believe I deleted it in an email clean out frenzy on Friday, as our IT guy here is constantly “riding” our butts to keep our systems from being bogged down.

I apologize if my initial email made it sound like I believe being a bike commuter is hard. My purpose is to talk to someone who does it and to talk about the benefits and the challenges to riding a bike. Yes, the internet is a great way to do research, as in this case where I was able to identify a source to tell the story. However, if you are at all familiar with our newspapers, you would understand that I can’t write a story based on research off the Internet. I need a local source who can illustrate the story for my readers. The Internet can be useful to fill out my story with fun facts, but I can’t just write a story based on facts taken from the Internet.

Who knew that my request for a source to help tell others about what it’s like being a bike commuter could possibly elicit a negative response. I hope that’s not reflective of the commuter community in general.

Thank you for your help and again, if you corresponded with me via email last week, can you please resend me your contact information so we can get the ball (or bike) rolling.

Whoever you are, please contact Amy via e-mail.