Ken congratulated his neighbor, Bruce Wright, on winning the Challenge and arriving at the Reston Town Center first.

It turns out that the fastest way to get to the Reston Town Center from the neighborhood near South Lakes High School, about 3 miles away, is to ride a bicycle.  Bruce Wright, Ken's neighbor and a member of Fairfax Advocates for Better Bicycling (FABB), made the trip in just over 13 minutes.  Another bicyclist who took the same route but rode at an easier pace, Kerie Hitt, also of FABB, arrived next.  Delegate Ken Plum's trip in his hybrid car took 19 minutes.  Taking the long route with a ride through Hunter's Woods Vilage Center on her way to the Town Center on the RIBS 2 bus was Kathleen Driscoll McKee, RA President, whose trip took 50 minutes.

"This was a good simulation that demonstrates real alternatives to the automobile for short trips in Reston and the rest of our community," noted Delegate Plum.  He also said that short car trips are the least efficient, even for his hybrid, which only averaged 30 mpg on the 3 mile trip.

According to Wright, "Riding a bike for transportation is a viable option for many people.  What we showed today is that bicycling and driving travel times are very comparable for short trips, and bicycling costs much less and is better for the environment.  I didn't use any foreign oil on the trip."

While Reston Association President Kathleen Driscoll McKee had the longest trip, she noted that the RIBS 2 bus was nearly full during the trip.  The fare for the trip was $1.50.  As a bus rider she could read, check her email, or otherwise make productive use of her time.

When Metroraiol arrives in Reston the local bus routes will be modified to provide more frequent service for accessing the Wiehle and Reston Parkway stations, making them an even more attractive alternative to driving and paying to park.

For more information about biking locally, contact Bruce Wright at chairman@fabb-bikes.org.
 

Free wood chips are still available at Reston Association's Central Servies Facility, 12250 Sunset Hills Road, 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily.  Supply is currently unlimited.

The Fairfax County Public Library invites county residents to participate in the eighth annual All Fairfax Reads, a "one book, one community" project that encourages adults to read and discuss the same book between May and September.  The 2011 selection is Little Princes:  One Man's Promise to Bring Home the Lost Children of Nepal, a memoir by Conor Grennan.  In Little Princes, the 29-year-old author trades his day job for a year-long trip around the globe, a journey that begins with a three-month stint volunteering at the Little Princes Orphanage in war-torn Nepal.  But what begins as just an adventure becomes a passionate commitment that transforms the young American and the lives of countless others.  Conor Grennan will appear on September 21 at 7:30 p.m. on the Campus of George Mason University as part of the Fall for the Book festival.  For more information on All Fairfax Reads, visit the library's website at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/library/events/allfxreads/.

We all know that a key element to healthy living is good nutrition.  Inova Health System is proud to sponsor the Northern Virginia Chapter of Buy Fresh Buy Local, a nationally recognized program that is dedicated to reintroducing Americans to their food - the seeds it grows from, the farmers who produce it, and the routes that carry it from the fields to their tables.  Download the Buy Fresh, Buy Local guide at www.inova.org/inova-in-the-community/buy-fresh-buy-local.  Copies are also coming soon to Fairfax County public libraries, Fairfax County Park Authority faciloities, and the seven Whole Foods stores in Northern Virginia.

Fairfax County Operation WOW! (Wellness Opportunities for Warriors) is recruiting veterans who are interested in mentoring injured military service members who have returned from Iraq and Afghanistan.  The service men and women meet once a week on Fridays in various locations.  Training is provided.  Some examples of activities are:  spin class, fencing, sit volleyball, and skeet and trap.  Call 703.324.5347.

Herndon-Reston FISH (friendly, instant, sympathetic help), a 41-year-old non-profit organizaiton that provides short-term emergency assistance to local residents, needs volunteers to occasionally drive an individual to a medical appointment in the greater Herndon and Reston area.  Most clients are 50+.  Background checks are conducted on drivers.  For more information, call the FISH Line at 703.391.0105 or visit www.HerndonRestonFISH.org.

Fairfax County's Community Emergency Alert Network (CEAN) delivers important emergency alerts, notifications, and updates during a major crisis or emergency in addition to day-to-day notices about weather and traffic.  Messages will be delivered to all devices you register:  email account, cell phone, text pager, satellite phone, and wireless device.  Register at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/cean/.