Berkshire Bike Path Council                                                                                                   

May 2010 Update      National Bike Month

May is National Ride Your Bike Month and you are invited to join a number of community rides to show support for cycling in MA.  The Monument Mountain GB ride and the Pittsfield Community ride are geared towards families and beginning road riders.   The Stockbridge ride is longer and a little more challenging.
 
Please consider joining us at these events to work at our table displays, which gets the word out about the BBPC's work.  You might also consider doing the Ashuwillticook Trail Counts which helps us demonstrate the interest in bike paths.
 
This May 17th to 21st is Bay State Bike Week, a week when Massachusetts celebrates bicycle transportation. This year, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) and the Massachusetts Bicycle Coalition (MassBike) have collaborated to make Bay State Bike Week an exciting statewide happening, with events scheduled throughout Massachusetts. Last year Bike Week tallied 125,000 miles and this year's goal is 150,000  miles ridden.   Lets show our legislators that there is strong cycling community in the Berkshires. Please email your miles to info@berkshirebikepath.com and we will send the Berkshire total to MassBike.  There will be a $25 gift certificate for the person who logs in the most miles in the Berkshire area. 

This year we welcomed over 64 new subscribers to our email listing.  We hope you will find a way to get involved.  Our quarterly July meeting is a good way to get the countywide view but you should also consider joining your local efforts.  Details about all these events follow. 
 
Upcoming events:
Sat, May 15 - Stockbridge Community Ride
Mon-Fri, May17-21 Bay State Bike Week
Sat, May 22 and Tues, May 25 - Ashuwillticook Trail Count
Sat, May 29 - Pittsfield Community Ride
Sat, May 29 - Hoosic Riverfest - http://hoorwa.org/
Sun, June 6 - UCP 5K Life Without Limits "WALK & ROLL"
Thu, June 10 - Housatonic Heritage Northeast Trail Symposium
Thu, June 10 - Great Barrington Bike Path Meeting - Town Hall 5:00 PM
Sat, July 17 - Great Barrington Community Ride
Mon, July 19 -BBPC Meeting 6:30 1 Fenn Street, Pittsfield
Marge Cohan

Marge Cohan President, Berkshire Bike Path Council 
Calendar-                                                             
UPCOMING EVENTS
 
Stockbridge Community Ride - Saturday, May 15
Start is 9AM at Town Offices and ride is about 18 mi.  The ride will raise awareness of the Stockbridge Bike Path Committee and their efforts. 
 
Bay State Bike Week - May 17 - May 21
All individuals are encouraged to log bicycle miles ridden in state wide effort to accumulate 150,000 miles for the week.  Send email to info@berkshirebikepath.com with your name and miles ridden.
 
Pittsfield Community Bike Ride - Saturday, May 29
Where: Controy Pavilion on Onota Lake at Burbank Park
Ride begins at 10 AM with registration from 9 to 9:45 AM
Route: Controy Pavilion to Pittsfield State Forest and back along the same roads. Just under 6 miles round trip.
Younger riders are welcome and encouraged to ride the trail along the lake within Burbank Park.
 
Hoosic Riverfest - Saturday, May 29
Our annual presence at the Hoosic RiverFest is dependent on volunteer response to support our table display.  Folks interested in taking a shift should email Lauren Gaherty at Lauren@berkshireplanning.org 
Great Barrington Community Ride - Saturday, July 17
A 4 mile route for the families and kids and a 29 mile loop covering most of our purposed bike path/routes in Great Barrington and our two neighboring towns are planned. Contact Steffan at bikeandblade@hotmail.com for more info.
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Trail Counters on Ashuwillticook 
 
The response has been great, but we can still use a few more trail counters for Sat, May 22, 7AM-7PM and Tues, May 25, 7:30-9:30AM and 4:30-6:30PM.  Please contact Pat Mullins (413) 442-1521 x17 or pmullins@berkshireplanning.org if you can volunteer some time. 
 

Data gathered is used to advocate for trail development.  Last year we also identified that many adults are not using helmets and often helmets are not used properly.  This year we plan to have information about proper helmet usage.  The current state law was recently amended to include manditory helmet usage to age 16.

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Walk & Roll - Sun, June 6
United Cerebral Palsy will be hosting a its 1st Annual 5K Life Without Limits "WALK & ROLL"on June 6, 2010 on the beautiful scenic DCR's Ashuwillticook Trail in Cheshire, MA. Registration begins at 9:00 a.m. and the walk will be from 10:00 am. 12:00 p.m.
 
Adults: $20.00   *  Children: (age 10 & under) $10.00   *  Family (4 or more) $50.00
 
You can register online at www.ucpberkshire.org. Information, call Joni at 413-442-1562 ext. 11
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ADVOCACY WORKS
 
Attendants at recent public meetings in Lenox, North Adams/Williamstown, and Adams advocated for positive movement towards their bike path efforts.  Congratulations to the Pittsfield committee for their presentation on the economic benefits of a bike path. 
 
Marge Cohan had the opportunity to share our  Countywide Vision Plan with Richard Sullivan,  Commissioner of  Dept. Conservation and Recreation..  "I was so pleased with his interest and support and look forward to working together."  
 
With the help of Mark Maloy, the GPS coordinator of Berkshire Regional Planning Commission, the communities from Pittsfield, south to Great Barrington have completed a map of  potential routes that would involve the Housatonic Railroad.   The map was submitted to Congressman Olver in hopes that he will facilitate negotiations with the railroad.
 
These town, city, state and federal advocacy efforts are key to our future.  Our presence at community events also helps to build a growing constituency that supports a countywide bike path.
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january
   


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We welcome your support and ideas on improving bicycling in Berkshire County.

For more information, visit http://www.berkshirebikepath.com





                                      Thank you for your continued support!                                 

Please support our efforts to advocate for better bicycling in Berkshire County. Mail your check, made out to Berkshire Bike Path Council, 55 South Mountain Rd, Pittsfield, MA  01201. Per IRS regulations, your donation to the Berkshire Bike Path Council will be treated similarly to a donation made to a 501(c)(3) organization and will be tax deductible.