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600 Advocates (and a couple of Vermonters) Descend on DC!
by Emily Boedecker, Executive Director
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Emily Boedecker, Local Motion's executive director, and Benjamin Kaufman, Active Transportation intern and student at UVM at the National Bike Summit.
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The gender gap, the difference in the number of women and men who bike, begins at age 10. This was just one of the startling statistics shared last week at the National Bike Summit in Washington, DC. There were also many encouraging stories shared and inspiring people to meet, like the 12 year old girl who won the national Safe Routes to School poster contest and was joining her state delegation on the hill the very next day!
If there was one idea uniting and inspiring the 600 bicycling activists gathered in DC, it was the shared belief that bicycling is turning the corner and moving into the mainstream...
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Serving All Vermonters: Bicycling and Equity
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Volunteers repair many of the bikes donated to BRV
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During the CCTA bus strike in Chittenden County last year, our sister organization, Bike Recycle Vermont, whose mission is to provide a path out of poverty by bike, experienced a large uptick in the number of people asking for bikes at the shop.
Many low-income Vermonters rely on buses for transportation, and when the buses were no longer running they had to find another way to get around. Many turned to Bike Recycle Vermont to get low-cost bikes.
Bicycles are a viable transportation option for many Vermonters to get to work, and to many other destinations. Recent data shows that more people commute by bike in Burlington than in Portland, OR!...
[Read the full story here]
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Squirrelly Larry the Fatty and Dan Hock
by Mary Catherine Graziano, Outreach and Education Manager
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Dan Hock taking a seasonal route on a frozen Lake Champlain to visit friends in Charlotte
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As the season is turning from winter to spring, with the attendant mud and slush, an article about fat bikes seems doubly appropriate. With a fat bike, you can go where no regular bike can go. They can conquer snowdrifts, slush, sand and other difficult terrain, which in March and April, pretty much describes all of Vermont.
Here's how they do it: fat bikes, with their tire widths of 4" or more, are much better able to traverse unstable terrain than standard bikes, with their 2" tire width. These fat tires can also be ridden at much lower pressures--down to 6 psi, as opposed to standard tires at 25-65 psi. This lower pressure, plus the extra width, provides stability and traction. When you get on the bike, the tire flattens under your weight, creating more surface area for the rubber to meet the ground.
This extra surface area allows the bike to travel much more easily over snow or sand, and because the tires are softer, your trail ride is less jarring. This does not mean that you will sail through the snow on a fat bike. The big deal is that you will stay upright--it's still going to be a lot of work to plow through those snowdrifts....
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Start Planning Your Island Retreat
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Riders heading to the Islands on Local Motion's bike ferry!
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We've turned the corner on winter! Are you dreaming about incredible biking, beautiful islands, and that slow "Island time"? This dream can be yours, any day of the week and every day. Get a season's pass to the Bike Ferry, and ride between the greater Burlington area and the Lake Champlain Islands anytime that you want.
Passes are $40 for adults, $25 for kids under 12. Day passes are $8 for adults, $5 for kids - you will begin saving money after your 5th trip! Click here to buy a season pass.
Opening day is May 22, and we are going to be open for a record 114 days this year !
2015 Schedule:
Hours of Operation: 10 am to 6 pm
Spring (May 22 - June 7): Fridays, Weekends & Holidays
Summer (June 12 - Sept 7): Daily Service
Fall (Sept 11 - Oct 12): Fridays, Weekends & Holidays
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Seasonal Staff Opportunities
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Possibly the best summer job ever!
Join Local Motion's summer crew of talented trailside ambassadors
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Want to be active this summer? On the waterfront? On a boat or a bike? We are currently seeking seasonal staff for the 2015 season in our Trailside Center, Bike Ferry, and Valet Bike Parking programs.
Our seasonal staff run our bicycle rental operation on the downtown Burlington waterfront, assist with ferry operations at the Colchester Causeway, and provide valet bicycle parking for Burlington events.
Successful candidates will have familiarity with routine bicycle maintenance and the ability to convey information in a clear, enthusiastic manner. Burlington area cycling and trail knowledge strongly preferred. EOE.
Hourly wage: $11.75/hr, 14-40 hrs/week. Ability to work weekends required.
Send cover letter and resume to: jobs@localmotion.org
Local Motion, Attn: Jobs, 1 Steele St. Suite 103, BVT 05401
Full job descriptions posted at www.localmotion.org/about/jobs
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More Everyday Bicycling Trainers Needed
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Spread the word that bicycling is for everyone as a
Local Motion Everyday Bicycling trainer
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We're looking for more bicycle gurus to run practical bicycle skills workshops statewide! There are still some corners of our fair state that are not covered by a resident bicycling expert!
Do you live in one of the corners of Vermont? Love to bike? Love to get other people enthusiastic about bicycling? We are looking for experienced on-road bicycle riders to help run our Everyday Bicycling: Practical Tips for Safe Bicycling" Workshops.
Questions? Interested in joining our state-wide team? Want to host an Everyday Bicycling Workshop at your workplace? Contact marycatherine@localmotion.org to schedule a FREE workshop!
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Play Vermontivate!
When:Monday, 3/23 through Saturday, 5/2
Where: Everywhere in VT
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Vermontivate! is a game that brings fun, creativity and ice-cream to the challenge of addressing climate change and building sustainable communities. If you participate in the Vermont Bike Challenge, get extra points for playing Vermontivate! What's not to love?
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Vote for Your Favorite Breakfast/Coffee Shop for National Bike to Work Day
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When:Now until 3/30
Where: Everywhere in VT
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Imagine you, your bike, and YOUR favorite breakfast/coffee shop participating in our "Breakfast. Better by Bike" event on National Bike to Work Day in May.
Tell us which coffee shop is your favorite and they will be at the top of our list as we recruit around the state! Nominate here!
Voting will close at 5:00pm on Monday, 3/30
[Read more here]
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Rutland City Pedestrian Assessment
When:Monday, 4/6
Where: Rutland, VT
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Rutland City is the first site in Vermont to participate in a new federal initiative to reduce the growing number of pedestrian and bicyclist injuries.
VTRANS encourages the public to participate, and to share your perception of safety on the streets of Rutland by completing this survey.
[Read more here]
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When:Wednesdays, 4/15 May 30 6p-9p
Where: Bike Recycle Vermont
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An introduction to bicycle mechanics open to women/femme/trans/female-identifying people. Students will receive instruction on the systems and parts of the bicycle and will practice common repairs. Classes are 3 hours long and held at Bike Recycle Vermont . Students can bring their own bicycles or request that one be provided for them.
[Read more here]
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