December 17, 2012
Greetings!

From a new transportation bill to the debut of the National Bike Challenge, 2012 was a big year for biking, and the League is ready to charge into 2013 stronger than ever. If you support our efforts to promote and protect the rights of cyclists, please consider a year-end gift to the League. And, if you're looking for a present for a fellow cyclist this holiday season, how the gift of League membership? Thank you for your incredible support in 2012 and I look forward to working with you as we continue to build a bicycle-friendly America in 2013!

Sincerely,  

 


Andy Clarke

League President
League News 

Give a Gift to the League this Holiday Season     

 

League Logo and Link We're geared up to make biking better in 2013 -- but we need your help. Please make your year-end gift to the League and support our work to build a Bicycle Friendly America. Donate $100 or more you'll get a free copy of Smart Cycling, signed by Andy Clarke! Please make your contribution today!   

 

Looking for a gift for the cyclist that has it all? Give the bike-friendly folks on your shopping list the many benefits and sense of community that comes from being a member of the League! Click here to give the gift of League membership this holiday season!  

2 Mile Challenge: We're Halfway To $10K  

 

Help the League this month by simply doing what you love: Riding your bike! In December, the League is the beneficiary of CLIF Bar's 2 Mile Challenge and every time you log a trip the League gets $2. Our goal is 5,000 trips and, thanks to your pedal power, we're already more than halfway there. Help us get to the $10,000 finish line; sign up for the Challenge today!   

National Bike Summit Keynote: Yolanda Cade 


She's interviewed President Barack Obama and been named one of the most powerful women in the state of Georgia. Yolanda Cade oversees AAA's national public relations and strategic communications efforts -- and, on Day 2, she'll address the National Bike Summit! Don't miss the premier gathering of bicycle advocates on March 4-6, 2013, as we tell Congress that Bicycling Means Business. Register now to get the early-bird rate or click here to learn more.   
First Round of Speakers Announced for Women Mean Business Event

 

Last month, we announced that women's cycling pioneer Georgena Terry will give the opening keynote address at the Women Mean Business event on March 4. But that's just the beginning of an incredible line-up of female leaders at this full-day gathering in Washington, D.C. We'll also hear from Jacquie Phelan, mountain bike legend (pictured); Alison Cohen, president of Alta Bicycle Share; Susan Otcenas, founder of TeamEstrogen.com and so many others. Read more and register!
Navigating MAP-21 Webinar TOMORROW!
 
The new federal transportation law gives Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) far more power. MPOs serving areas with more than 200,000 residents will use a competitive process to select projects for funding through the Transportation Alternatives (TA) program. Join our next webinar on December 18 at 2 p.m. EASTERN to learn best practices from Advocacy Advance's Bike-Ped Friendly MPO Working Group to effectively integrate bicycling and walking needs into the MPO planning and funding process under MAP-21. Register here.
Gail Copus Spann is one of the League's LCI coaches
Become a League Cycling Instructor -- at a Discount!

 

Next month, the League is hosting its first Coach Training (coaches are the ones who certify our instructors) -- but our coaches need students! If you're interested in becoming a League Cycling Instructor, come to Houston, Texas, January 25-27. In exchange for being trainees for our new coaches, you can become an LCI for only $200 -- a $100 discount. Register here

Schedule an LCI Seminar in your Community

 

Is there a need for more bicycle education in your area? Hosting a League Cycling Instructor Seminar can be your first step in developing a strong bike education program in your community. Interested in hosting an LCI Seminar in spring 2013? Please, contact Alissa Simcox at [email protected].

Bicycle Friendly Business Applications Due Jan 11

 

What do iconic businesses like Apple, Facebook and William Sonoma have in common? They're all bicycle friendly! Apply for a Bicycle Friendly Business designation and join the growing number of workplaces big and small that support biking. The next deadline is January 11, 2013. It's free, fun and good for your business. Apply now.

 

Partner News   

Registration Open for the Youth Bike Summit     

 

Hosted by Recycle-A-Bicycle in New York City, the Youth Bike Summit is one of the most dynamic bicycle gatherings of the year. Bringing together people from different disciplines, this national conference explores how bicycling can be a practical and safe form of transportation for today's youth. Registration is now open and organizers are accepting session proposals until December 22. Learn more

Banner Year for Bicycle Travel and Tourism 

We've all seen a rise in the number of bicyclists on our city streets, but, according to Adventure Cycling Association, that's just a fraction of the current boom in biking. Bicycle tourism and travel are also on a dramatic upswing, with studies and stories from around the world indicating a level of popularity not seen since the 1970s. This month, the ACA compiled a list of "9 new indicators that bike travel and tourism are booming." Read more.
Deadline Tomorrow for Advocacy Award Nominations


Every year at the National Bike Summit, the Alliance for Biking & Walking presents its annual Advocacy Awards. Now is your chance to nominate the advocates and organizations that made your community a better place to bike this year. Don't wait: The deadline for nominations is tomorrow, December 18, 2012. Learn more.   

 

State and Local Advocacy  
In Sandy's Wake, Advocates & Giant Pedal NYC Forward

Working with both Recycle-A-Bicycle and Transportation Alternatives, Giant recently donated 100 bikes to people in the areas hit hardest by Hurricane Sandy in New York City. By helping folks move about their neighborhoods and commute to work by bicycle, the "Ride NYC Forward" partnership is increasing mobility for residents in Rockaway, Red Hook, the Lower East Side, and coastal Staten Island. Read more.    

New Green Lane in the Nation's Capital

 

It was a campaign seven years in the making. Last month, advocates with the Washington Area Bicyclist Association joined the mayor and other high-ranking city officials in cutting the ribbon on a new protected bike lane on L Street. "The grassroots effort of e-mails and phone calls, coupled with exposure to council members through rides, made it happen," says Shane Farthing, WABA's Executive Director. Read more

Just for Fun!  
Bikeface Cartoon Illustrates Traffic Laws

 

Anyone who rides understands the need for greater awareness of traffic laws by both motorists and bicyclists. Lucky for us, Bikeyface has a new cartoon that showcases this information in a creative way; read more from the League's legal specialist, Ken McLeod.    

Happy Birthday, JK Starley!

Whether you bomb down hills on a sleek road bike or cruise to work on a sturdy Dutch commuter, all stripes of cyclists can probably all agree: The bike is simply one of the most brilliant inventions of the past 150 years. And last Friday was the birthday of the man who created the modern cloth from which all bikes are cut. Read more.    

 


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Share this American Bicyclist Update with your cycling friends and fellow bike commuters. The generous support from the League's members make publications like this possible. Join the League today.

The League of American Bicyclists promotes bicycling for fun, fitness and transportation, and works through advocacy and education for a bicycle-friendly America. The League represents the interests of America's 57 million bicyclists, including its 300,000 members and affiliates. For more information or to support the League, visit www.bikeleague.org.
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Header photo credits from left: John Luton, Richard Masoner, Nona Varnado, Allan Crawford
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