Category: News

  • It’s still National Bike Month…

    While our official Bike-To-Work-Week activities are over, it’s still National Bike Month and the National BTWW is May 17-21. So, check out the hints, tips, and other links in our Bike-to-Work-Week info.

  • 2011 Bike Month Activities

    May 16-20th is National Bike to Work Week!  —  May 20th is National Bike to Work Day!

    May is National Bike Month! To celebrate, the CRBC, in conjunction with other local organizations, is planning these Bike Month activities:

    4T&aB Ride — Click on pic for album
    2011 4TandaB/Kulakowski Memorial Ride

    We held the last of Bike Month events! Thanks to everyone who participated. We’re still collecting Bikes for Ecuador and if you haven’t ridden yet this month, there’s still time!

    Saturday, April 23 – State College YMCA Healthy Kids Day

    Healthy Kids Day will be held Sunday April 23. Bicycling related activities include:

    1. a bicycle rodeo during which local police teach children bike safety;
    2. bike clinics with instruction from local bike shops;
    3. family friendly group rides starting and ending at the SCAYMCA at 1:30, 2, 2:30 and 3 pm. ½ mile course on parking lots and sidewalks around the Y;
    4. a used bike collection (see Bikes for Ecuador )

     

    Saturday April 23 1-4pm     – Bikes for Ecuador
    Friday April 29 8am – 5 pm

    CRBC, the Center for Sustainability, and Eco-Action have teamed up to collect bikes for kids in Ecuador. Donations of used bicycles will be accepted the YMCA Healthy Kids Day and at the Bike Month Kickoff by the Allen Street Gates. All bikes will go to the members of Kallari (kai-YAH-ri), a sustainable cacao growers’ cooperative within the Amazon rain forest. Kids in Kallari have to travel many miles to attend school, and because most lack transportation, many drop out with only elementary-level educations. Bikes must be rideable on dirt roads, but those needing minor repairs will be accepted. Donations of cycling gear and accessories will also be accepted, as will cash to cover costs of repairs and shipping. Bring your unwanted bike, and help a student succeed!

     

    Saturday-Sunday, April 23-24 – ECCC Championship Weekend

    For the riders: Easterns is upon us at last! After 7 weeks of competition on the ECCC circuit, it’s time to bring the season to a culmination and get our sufferfest on.

    The team time trial and EPIC road race in Black Moshannon State Park will take place on Saturday, starting at 8:30 AM.

    On Sunday, we will be hosting a criterium race through Frat Row in downtown State College!! It’s time for the cyclists of the Eastern Collegiate Cycling Conference to duke it out for ECCC supremacy.

    See more at the PSU Cycling Club site or their Facebook page.

     

    Wednesday April 27 6:00-9:00 pm     – Street Skills for Cyclists
    Wednesday May 4 6:00-9:00 pm, and
    Sunday May 8 12:30-5:00 pm

    League of American Bicyclists certified class that empowers bike riders to confidently share the road with other traffic. The class benefits riders of every level, from those just getting back on a bike to veteran cyclists who ride every day. Combining classroom and on-bike skills practice, the class features information on interacting with traffic, crash types and avoidance techniques, basic bike maintenance, roadside repairs, and emergency bike-handling skills. The Wednesday sessions are both classroom sessions while the Sunday session is the on-bike portion of the class. The class is offered through the Penn State Health matters program, but is open to all community members. Those in the Penn State system can register online at ohr.psu.edu/health-matters/register-for-programs and community members can register by calling the Health Matters office at 863-4606.

     

    Friday, April 29 – Bike Month Kickoff

    Bike Info by CRBC, CATA, The Center for Sustainability, The Campus Sustainability Office and Eco-Action at the Allen St. gate to PSU. You’ll find information about bicycle registration & safety, regional biking opportunities, & other efforts to make this area GREEN.

    When: 8am – 5pm
    Where: Corner of College and Allen

     

    Sunday May 1 – The Linden Loop

    The Linden Loop Bike Run or Walk supports the Rock Hill School restoration project. For a description of the ride and printable registration form:

    When: 12:30 pm (28 mile ride)and 1:00 pm (5 mile ride)
    Where: Rock Hill School in Linden Hall
    How Much? $20 registration, waived if you raise $50 for the Rock Hill School.

    The CRBC is supporting and promoting this ride but is not involved in organizing or running the event.

     

    Saturday May 7 – Mount Nittany Vineyard Vino & Pizza Ride

    Saturday, May 7th, at 3 PM we will be riding up to Mount Nittany Vineyard from the State College Borough Building to pair vino and pizza.  This is not a tour, but a special event organized by Mount Nittany Vineyard. Tony of Gemelli’s and NOLA’S PLACE fame will have his wood fired pizza oven there, and the Vineyard folks will be pairing local wines with some stellar pizza.

    Tickets are $10, and can be picked up at Eddie’s Bike’s and Freeze Thaw.  There are a limited number of tickets available (15ish)…If it rains and you want to drive, you will still need a ticket to get in. E-mail Mike Shamalla for more info

    HELMETS ARE REQUIRED for all participants.

    When: 3:00 pm (Space is limited and you must have a ticket to get in)
    Where:     State College Municipal Building Plaza, 243 S. Allen St.
    How Much? $10. Tickets available at Freeze-Thaw and Eddie’s Bikes.

     

    Wednesday May 11 – Talk: From Obese and Sedentary to Centuries

    Subtitled: How I became healthy and active through cycling
    AccuWeather meteorologist and local cycling enthusiast Joe Lundberg will talk about how he used cycling to lose a significant amount of weight, and how he continues cycling to keep it off. Joe will talk about where he was…what essentially ‘triggered’ him to change…how he got started….what spurred him on….and how he gradually built up and lost the weight, and how he keeps it off.

    When: 7:00 pm
    Where: State College Borough Building, 243 S. Allen St, Room 220.

     

    Friday-Sunday, May 13-15 – Bike-to-Worship Weekend

    It’s a great way to get in touch with the wonders of creation (even rain is a wonder after all), do something emission-free for the earth and care for your body as well. Then plan to join the CCC for a Sunday Picnic in the Park on May 15 in the afternoon. For more info, see the Creation Care website here: Bike-to-Worship

     

    Saturday May 7, 14, and 21 – SCASD Saturday Rides

    Saturday Rides. Group ride with options for kids of all ages. 2, 4 (loop or out-and-back), 10 and 25 miles.

    The ride on the 14th  will be in remembrance of Mt. Nittany Middle School teacher Beth Donghia. Please bring flowers to place at the Ghost Bike on Boalsburg Rd. Update 5/11/11: A second starting point will be available at Spring Creek Park Please gather there and get signed in around 12:30. The 25 mile ride will meet us at the park and we hope to be on our way by 12:45. The round trip distance from the park is about 11 miles. 

    The ride on the 21st will be our annual 4 Townships and a Borough ride and will be in remembrance of Bodhan Kulakowski, in whose memory the Ghost Bike on Boalsburg Rd was placed.

    HELMETS ARE REQUIRED for all participants. Children under 13 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Please print out, sign, and bring along this liability waiver (copies will be available at the ride, too). If you’re under 18, have your parents sign for you.

    When: 11am-2pm, or 12:30-2pm
    Where: South High School Parking Lot, or Spring Creek Park

    More info, maps & cule sheets here: http://www.centrebike.org/articles/news/165-school-district-and-crbc-bike-month-rides.html

     

    Tuesday May 17, 7:15-8:15 pm – Yoga for Bicyclists

    Tues. May 17th Center for Well-Being, Lemont. Kate Marshall-Chase will teach a variety of yoga poses to both prepare for and recover from riding! Emphasis on both stretching and strengthening the key areas that cycling requires. Class suitable for all levels. No one is too stiff for yoga! If you think you are then you need to come to this class!!

    When: 7:15-8:15 pm
    Where: Center for Well Being, 123 Mt. Nittany Rd, Lemont
    How Much? FREE!!!

     

    Throughout May (and continuing) – Mentored Bike Commuting

    Several experienced commuting cyclists have volunteered their time to guide new commuters during Bike To Work Week — or anytime. Areas, contacts, and availability are listed below:
    Area Availability Guide
    Woodycrest
    Overlook Heights
    Toftrees    		 Flexible departure time Chuck Anderson
    mtbchuck@verizon.net
    235-1089
    Lemont
    Houserville
    Spring Creek Park    		 7:45 – 8:00am Ned Balzer
    ned.balzer@gmail.com
    404-0421
    Centre Hills 9 – 9:30am Eddie Magulick
    eddie@eddiesbikes.com
    234-3111
    Blue Course Dr
    Circleville Rd
    Teaberry Ridge    		 8:30am Doug Swope
    dhs7@psu.edu
    865-1113
    Park Forest
    Gray’s Woods    		 Flexible times Jess Ballenger
    jess.ballenger@gmail.com
    321-7309
    Boalsburg Pump Station
    Harris Acres    		 7:30am Eric Keller
    keller.ee@gmail.com
    441-5597
    South Hills to
    PSU/Downtown
    or Innovation Park    		 Flexible Paul Rito
    click here to e-mail
    404-5087

    Please contact your Ride Guide mentor to arrange your commute!

    For general questions, please contact Kate Marshall-Chase via e-mail at katemc1@yahoo.com or via phone at 237-6316.

    So mark you calendars, because in May we urge you to get out of your car and back on your bike!

     

    Commuting Tips and Resources biketoworklogo

    Thanks to the following organizations for their support:
    matsonbiofuelslogoclr2a

    PSH_Bone_Joint_State_College_287_pssm           mtnitlogo

    cfs
  • Motorist Shoots at Cyclist for Carrying Child in Bike Seat

    Motorist Shoots at Cyclist for Carrying Child in Bike Seat

    Asheville, N.C. – Motorist Charles Alexander Diez (photo at left) has been charged with first degree attempted murder after shooting at a cyclist carrying his child in a bike seat. According to the Asheville Citizen-Times, “Diez, 42,  apparently fired at the Asheville man after arguing with him about riding his bike on the busy road with his 3-year-old child in a bike seat behind him, Asheville Police Capt. Tim Splain said. Diez was driving his car off Interstate 40 at Exit 55 at about 11:24 a.m. Sunday when he saw Alan Ray Simons and his wife riding bikes up the road with Simons’ 3-year-old son behind him in a bike seat, he said. ‘He decided he needed to tell them he thought it was unsafe that they would do that and have their child out there in an area where they had a lot of traffic,’ Splain said. Diez stopped his car and confronted Simons near 1360 Tunnel Road. When Simons began to walk away, Diez shot at him, Splain said.
    The bullet blew a hole through the outer lining of Simons’ helmet and went straight through both sides of it, but he was not hit.Simons and others who witnessed the incident took down Diez’s registration plate number and called police. After consulting with the Buncombe County District Attorney’s Office, police charged Diez with one count of attempted first-degree murder. ‘A matter of an inch or less in either direction would have meant that bullet could have easily killed Mr. Simons,’ Splain said.
    Buncombe County Sheriff’s deputies found Diez’s vehicle at his home on Rowland Road in Swannanoa and arrested him. Diez was not under the influence of any drugs or alcohol at the time of the shooting and has no prior criminal record, Splain said. He has been employed by the Asheville Fire Department since February 1992, according to interim Chief Scott Burnette. Diez has been placed on paid leave during the investigation, Burnette said.”