My apologize for not reporting any activity in November. I was out in Nevada playing the grandfather card for several weeks. Also, a bit of bad news: I have been fighting a severe case of Tendonitis in both of my shoulders - and the cause? Riding the bicycle a bit too much and pressing down on the handlebars!  However after a steroid shot, committed physical therapy exercises and corrective riding posture, I can report excellent progress in reversing the problem (and of course, considering getting a different bicycle that forces me to sit upright more).

First Up: Good news: BIKE EIBER has found a semi-permanent address: Mr. Tom Slabe of the EPA and an Eiber resident has graciously offered his home as headquarters for BIKE EIBER. Mr. Slabe's front entrance (and garage) open out onto the West Rail Line's bike path and is located 0.3 from the Garrison Street Light Rail Station. We hope to hold the first monthly meeting in mid-January. Not decisions yet on times or dates.

More good news: I have purchased two seats for 15 day games at Coors Field for the 2013 Colorado Rockies baseball season (after the light rail opens in April, 2013). This effort is part of BIKE EIBER's effort to encourage Eiber neighbors and Eiber educators to join me on their bikes as we ride to one of the light stations in the Eiberhood, take the light rail to Denver Union Station, ride or walk to the stadium (5 blks) and sit back and enjoy America's favorite pastime & leaving the cars behind! The two seats are located behind home plate and are just above the press boxes. Trust me, this are very good seats.

I have not yet fully decided how to share this great cycling experience yet, but first selections go to my wife, Diana, who deserves a break from giving care to her grandson these past seven years while her daughter still slowly recovers from a stroke.

Second selection priorities go to the dedicated educators at Eiber Elementary School for their challenging efforts to elevate the quality of the elementary school in the Eiber Neighorhood. Eiber educators will ride RTD fare-free to the games and will not have to pay for seat at the game. The goal is that the whole experience would be so positive that the Eiber Elementary teachers will start commuting on the bike path to the Eiber School - and eventually, the habit would pass on to the students which would benefit the students in terms of health, community image, and saving future coins to keep in their pockets. Hey, you have to start somewhere. 

Dates of all the games and more details as to possible costs and the selection process for the rest of the Eiber Neighbors, City Officials or those in the cycling community will be provided next month.

On a final note before concluding: I'm taking suggestions for cycling event ideas surround the opening of the West Rail Line's "W" line, hit the reply button, or email me at the address to the left.

Below, find some interesting links that I wanted to share with you along with a video.

See you all next month.

Bill Spriggs 

Cycling Films to Share

If ever there was a "dream" that I and others in the cycling world would love to see come to pass is to see our local neighborhood engaged in healthy, sustainable and inexpensive everyday commuting via cycling.

Every day in Greater Copenhagen, roughly 500,000 people choose the bicycle even though the city is in one of the world's richest countries. Here's a collection of short films threaded together of the City's bicycle rush hours during various times of the year and I want you to imagine that what you are seeing is a future commute from the Lakewood-Wadsworth Light Rail Station to Downtown Lakewood at City Commons and Belmar and return in the snow. 

Bicycle Rush Hour in Copenhagen

So what are the future plans for
BIKE EIBER?

>Bike tours of the West Rail Line from Lakewood to Denver and return via Bus.
>Bike Rodeos for Kids
>Walk/Bike to School participation.
>Individual instructions on using your bicycle on the bus/light rail 

>Encourage and guide elementary school teachers to use public transit and bicycles so that they encourage their students.

>Encourage and guide senior citizens to take daily trips to the grocery store of their choice.
>Advocating for bicycle infrastructure and signage to make cyclists feel safer, thus encouraging more riders.
>Encourage the 55,000 registered students attending the six major institutions of learning along the West Rail Line to live in Lakewood, Colorado and commute via bicycle.

>Encourage apartment owners to become "bicycle friendly."
>Short, easy daily and weekly rides along the new bike path
>Encourage bike tourism between Denver, Lakewood & Golden via the new bike path.

>Study the feasibility of BBB's (Bikes, Bed & Breakfast) along the West Corridor.
>Locate a quarterly meeting place fro BIKE EIBER before FasTracks opens April 26, 2013.
>Continue to advocate for a public/private bike depot facility at 1301 Garrison St. to promote safety in the neighborhood.

If you have any suggestions or  questions, you can merely hit the "reply" button or call my cell phone (Please, no calls after 7pm)