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Premier Sponsor
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City Market Member Workers Rock our World! |
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Island Line Trail Updates
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What Chapin is Saying:
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Upcoming Events
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Wed June 13th
6:00pm - 9:00pm
Wed June 13th
5:30pm - 6:30pm
Thur June 14th
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Walk / Bike Funds in Jeopardy. Again.
 Act Now to Save Safe Routes to School, Bicycling and Walking Funds
It's come down a fight for local control. Negotiations on the federal transportation bill are at a critical point and twenty years of gains on bicycling, walking and Safe Routes to School are at risk.
Cities and counties all over the country need transportation funding to build sidewalks and bike paths to make streets safer, get local economies moving, and encourage active living. The Senate heard from you how important this was and acted accordingly. But the House is again proposing to eliminate local access to these federal funds.
Will you ask your members of Congress to protect local access to funds for Safe Routes to School, bicycling and walking projects?
Selected members of the House and Senate are negotiating right now to produce a final transportation bill. The Senate's first offer to the House included the bipartisan Cardin-Cochran agreement, which would allow local governments to access federal funds for bicycling and walking projects. But the House continues to insist on getting rid of Safe Routes to School, bicycling and walking funding. Read more...
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 Win a Trip to Tuscany! Join or Renew Today
Imagine yourself, cycling or strolling through the undulating countryside of Tuscany. The sun is bright and warm on your face; and every so often, you stop, throw back your head, and inhale the rich scent of olives in the air. Soon, you'll reward yourself for the miles you covered -- under your own power -- with a full-bodied red under a blazing sunset. Can it get any better than this? Actually, yes.You could win this trip -- absolutely free -- simply by joining Local Motion before August 1, 2012! (Renewing members: Increase your membership contribution by $10 or more, and you'll qualify for the drawing as well). HUGE thanks to our good friends at VBT Bicycling & Walking Vacations for donating this incredible prize! Read the full details here. |
1,100 Riders. 136,967 miles. $32,441 saved.
Those are some of the numbers for the Vermont Bike Challenge as of June 12. Vermont leads the nation in the National Bike Challenge, and the miles keep adding up. Vermonters sure love to bike! But the numbers only barely begin to tell the story of the Vermont Bike Challenge and the impact it is having. Over and over again, we are hearing stories of people who went from biking hardly at all to biking all the time because of the Challenge. Read more ...
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Improving Travel in Williston & Essex: Share
Your Ideas
 Come tell us what you think!
Governor Shumlin's announcement that the Circumferential Highway (Circ) -- as originally conceived -- would not be built, leaves major portions of Williston, Essex and Essex Junction without an integrated, coordinated plan for addressing congestion and safety. For this reason, the CCRPC -- in conjunction with the towns, VTrans and other stakeholders -- has initiated the Williston-Essex Network Transportation Study (WENTS). The goal of WENTS is to develop a multimodal transportation improvement plan for major roadways in the study area to address mobility, connectivity, and safety. The Plan will include a comprehensive and coordinated list of highway, transit, bicycle, pedestrian, and land use recommendations.
You're invited to the first public meeting: When: Tuesday, June 19th, 7:30 - 9:00 PM Where: Williston Town Hall Who: Sponsored by the Town of Williston, Town of Essex, Village of Essex Junction, and the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission (CCRPC). During this meeting, sponsors will outline the goals and objectives of the study, describe existing transportation and land use conditions, and welcome public input on issues and opportunities in the study area. The meeting is free and open to the public. Reasonable arrangements for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least 72 hours in advance. Please email Diane, or call her at 865.1794.
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Building a Post-Circ Transportation System
Anyone who has been around more than a few years knows what a big deal the Circ was. This circumferential highway was planned as a beltline around Burlington, connecting the Interstate in Williston with Route 127 in Colchester. But only a couple of segments got built, and now that the Governor has cancelled the project, the future of the region's transportation system is being recast. VTrans, the CCRPC and the host communities are leading a great process to get this work done.
Local Motion has always been a strong advocate for a balanced transportation system -- one that gives residents and visitors alike a variety of options for getting around. We recognize that the Circ towns have transportation system problems that can only partly be solved through enhanced opportunities for walking, biking, and transit, and we support a sensible mix of transportation investments. Having said this, there is a real opportunity to look anew at walking, biking and transit investments in Circ communities for a more sustainable future. Read more ... |
Challenge Your Powers of Observation -- And Your Family, Too!
Join us for a rolling adventure, super-sleuthing on the waterfront path! With a list and working in teams or as an individual, challenge your powers of observation.
During this fun family ride, you'll learn historical facts. Listen to sounds. Watch for boats, wildflowers and waterfowl.
Afterwards, you'll return to Local Motion for a cold treat, will tally and compare notes, then hang out for a raffle drawing. Approximately 1.5 hours. Bikes and helmets required. Bring a water bottle. It's a great way to kick start summer!
When: Sunday, June 24th, 2:00-3:30ish Where: Leaves from Local Motion's Trailside Center Info: Email Mary Catherine or call her at 861-2700 x 106
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VOLUNTEER CORNER
For Secure Bike Parking Volunteers, Every Day is Sweet!
Summer's here, and so is Secure Bike Parking!
Look for us at the Burlington Farmer's Market every Saturday, and at Waterfront Park events throughout the summer!
Don't know what Secure Bike Parking is? Secure Bike Parking is like a coat check for your bike. It's a great way to take your bike to an event, because once you're there, you won't have to worry about finding a place to park it. Best of all, it's free! Secure Bike Parking volunteers will park anything human-powered: Bikes, strollers, trailers, roller blades and more.
Get involved! Thanks to Ben & Jerry's, all Secure Bike Parking volunteers receive free ice cream -- so sign up today! It's a deliciously cool ending to a fun summer day. Please email Mary Catherine for details. And, to locate events that offer Secure Bike Parking, check out our Secure Bike Parking calendar.
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Peddle (Pedal!) Our Wearable Recycled Bike Art
Check out the volunteer listing here.
Next time you visit the Burlington Farmers' Market, be sure to stop over at BCA's Artists' Market. Check out our brand-new, fantastic bike cart/display booth, admire our beautiful belts and jewelry, and hang out with our incredible volunteers and staff!
And don't forget! All volunteers who are Member/Workers with City Market get a 7% discount every time they volunteer for two hours in a month, and a 12% discount for four hours. For more information about City Market and volunteering with BRD, please email Christine Hill. |
Waste Removal by Bike!
 Keep your eyes out for local pedal-pushers One Revolution at the Burlington Farmers' Market this summer!
Recognizable by their long, flatbed-style bike trailers, this crew of cyclists will be handling pickup for all trash and recycling produced at this season's Farmers' Markets. One Revolution has been actively involved in Burlington's waste management since June 2010, when they first began working with residences to haul kitchen food scraps to the dump for compost collection. Read more ... |
Featured Trail: Mud Pond  by Andy Weis
Mud Pond, located off of South Road via Oak Hill Road in Williston, consists of 158 acres of town land and an abutting 53 acres made available for use by a local landowner. This recreational area offers hiking, walking, skiing and snowshoeing at the north end of the property, where a natural area with a pond and marsh create a habitat for lots of enjoyable wildlife viewing.
Just to the south, and across South Road, is a trail system that includes all ambulatory users plus mountain biking. The trails are marked and share the VAST trail system together. This area has about three miles of trails that are twisty, ledgy, and rooty with banked turns and fun bridges located throughout. Constant repairs of wet areas and relocating the trail to more sustainable areas go on every year with the financial support from the Town of Williston and Fellowship of the Wheel membership.
Read more ...
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Bike Benefits Welcomes Penny Cluse
Don't have a Bicycle Benefits sticker yet? Procrastinate no more!
Penny Cluse Cafe, a perennial contender for the Best Breakfast spot in Burlington, has joined the program -- with an exciting 15% off for Bicycle Benefits participants.
This gem of a restaurant certainly now tops our charts as Best Breakfast spot to bike to -- even if there's a line! (And we definitely recommend the Huevos Rancheros). If you need a $5 program sticker, you can buy one at Local Motion's Trailside Center, or at most participating businesses in Vermont. Pedal on and save!
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Opinions Sought on New Adirondack Trail
You may have noticed that we're huge fans of outdoor recreation here at Local Motion. That's why we're happy to help our friends at the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy evaluate the feasibility of a new project in the Adirondack region: A world-class recreation trail running through the Adirondacks from Lake Placid to Old Forge.
What do you think about this project? Take the Great Adirondack Recreation Trail Survey and express your interest in the development of a world class recreational trail. The survey should only take a few minutes, and we know Rails-to-Trails will appreciate your insights!
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Ride to Benefit Massbike
This just in from our friends at the Massachusetts Bicycle Coalition:
The 6th Annual Mass BikePike Tour - a benefit for the Massachusetts Bicycle Coalition - is coming to the Berkshires from August 2nd through 5th!
- The Mass BikePike Tour is designed to satisfy all levels of riders, whether they're new to riding or looking for a challenge
- It is the Friendliest Ride in the East - plenty of time to visit tourist landmarks with new friends, or sample the local ice cream. A social hour wraps up each day of riding.
- The Mass BikePike Tour is extremely affordable - just $415 for four days of riding paradise, camping, and hearty delicious meals!
Space is limited and the ride sold out last year. For more information and to register, click here.
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Why I Ride
 by Peter Burns
Biking is a multi-faceted experience -- and not always a pleasant one. It is tempting to idealize riding, but going up a long hill in the rain at the end of a 5-hour ride is arduous. Read more ...
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Local Motion member, storyteller and writer Peter Burns is an avid biker, walker and swimmer in the Burlington area. He began bike riding through the winter in the early 80's. A passionate advocate for biking and walking, he tries to maintain a tiny carbon footprint.
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Happy Trails!
Local Motion 2012 Crew: Brian, Chapin, Charlene, Christine, Dan, Don, Jane, Jason, Kevin, Leslye, Lou, Marion and Mary Catherine |
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