Bike Austin                                                                        August 2014 e-news


In This Issue
 

Event Calendar

Sept 7
Ride Leader Training

Sept 13
BA Tour De Cure Team Rides!

Sept 23
Ambassador Training

Oct 2
Austin Flyer's Film

Oct 25
Viva Streets!

Oct 26
BikeTexas Bike Fest

 

Join Our Mailing List
Up Coming Volunteer
Opportunites
Uncle Sam Needs You

(check web for sign up)
Charity Rides
ACL Challenge
Viva Streets
Bike Texas Festival




Donate!
Your contribution makes a difference.
Greetings!

Bike Austin has been working hard to implement our new strategic plan. We hope you will join our cause to unite the entire cycling community over the next year to create one solid voice for bicycling in Austin. If you are not a member, please join us now.
_________________________________________________
 SupportSupport Urban Trails Plan 
The Urban Trails Master Plan will be presented at city council this Thursday.  This plan is a critical step in progressing bicycling infrastructure in Austin.  Many people, especially the old and the young, prefer to ride or walk on off-street trails that provide protection from vehicle traffic. A citywide Urban Trails system provides the backbone for a safe all-ages, all-abilities system of walking, running and cycling paths. 

Please email city council this week to show your support of this important plan: http://austintexas.gov/mail/all-council-members

_________________________________________________
BikeBike Ambassador Training 
Sept 23 @ 6:30 PM
We need your help to grow the bicycling movement in Austin. Our focus this fall is to man information booths at the key charity rides and events to spread the word about who we are and why all bicyclists should join our efforts. Help us communicate to the community by volunteering at our booths.

Tuesday September 23 @ 6:30 PM
Bike Austin offices, 1000 Brazos Street, #100, 78701

Register for Ambassador Training

_________________________________________________
B-cycleB-cycle ACL Challenge  
Both ACL weekends 
B-cycle has been a huge success in Austin. Our program broke the national record for number of bicycles rented in a day during SBSW. ACL Music Festival is likely to be a similar story. Our friends at B-cycle have given us a volunteer challenge to help them manage the demand for Bike Share during the ACL Fest. We love our Bike Share and want to help them any way we can, but this event is way more than just helping out a bicycling partner. If we meet our goals, Bike Austin volunteers can put real funds in the Bike Austin coffers.

Bike Austin has accepted the challenge and has agreed to help manage the influx of visitors and Bike Share users during ACL Music Fest. Our goal is to fill 200 - 4 hour shifts over the 6 days! What a great way to participate in ACL and to show the world what a great cycling community we are. Do come out and help Bike Austin help B-cycle. It will be a fun way to help both B-cycle and Bike Austin. It will be a fun way to help both B-cycle and Bike Austin.

Registration will be listed on website soon

_________________________________________________
 VoteI Bike I Vote Campaign  
Miller Nuttle, Election Campaign Director
Welcome to our new employee and Election Campaign Director, Miller Nuttle. Miller comes to us from Transportation Alternatives in New York City. He will be activating our membership to get out the vote.

This fall, Austin will elect a new City Council, Mayor and slate of other elected officials, and the stakes are high for street safety.  Thanks to your advocacy and support, we've made amazing strides in bicycling and walking infrastructure throughout Austin.  But the growth of our bicycle network, expansion of the bike share system and safer streets for all Austinites rest on us turning out to vote for bike- and pedestrian-friendly candidates in November.  

You can take action right now to help usher in these new progressive transportation leaders.  

1. Register to vote if you haven't already.
 http://www.traviscountytax.org/goVotersRegistration.do 

2. Sign our new Voter Pledge to commit to vote for candidates who will stand up for safer streets. We'll be making endorsements in several key City Council districts in the coming weeks to help inform your choices.   

3. And most of all, volunteer with Bike Austin to help turn out your neighbors to vote this fall.  Contact Bike Austin's new Campaigns Director Miller Nuttle to get involved in your neighborhood: cmnuttle@gmail.com. 

In September, we'll launch our Get Out The Vote efforts with a kick-off meeting -  stay tuned for more details soon.  The stakes are high for walking and bicycling in this election, but with your input, support and elbow grease, we'll make sure you have a strong voice in our new City government.

_________________________________________________
hotHottest Day Was Fun Ride
Stanton Truxillo

Well, it may not have been THE hottest day of the year, but it was sure in the running. Saturday August 9, Bike Austin hosted the Hottest Day of the Year Ride, and 100 or so folks agreed that riding your bike in the heat to a swimming pool (two, actually) and to get some cold beverages and ices could be fun. And it was!  

 

The distance was about 14 miles, the pace casual, the crowd friendly and happy. Ages ranged from about 6 years to mid-70's (me!) We stopped for a photo op at the Austin Mural, swam in two different City pools, had cold refreshments at Austin Tricyclist and CycleEast, and ended with food at G'Raj Mahal Café and a benefit party at Alta's.  

 

Thanks to our sponsors: Alta's Cafe, Austin Rowing Club, Austin TriCyclist, B-cycle, Bicycle Sports Shop, CycleEast, East Side Pedal Pushers, East Street Recumbents, G'Raj Mahal, Hops & Grain, Nuun, and REI. Thanks to Patricia Schaub for taking on the event planner role, to Erin Katribe and Todd Savage for assisting, to IED Carol Reifsnyder for all the background support and preparations, and to President  Erick Benz and several of the Board Members for acting as ride "marshals."

 

Make sure to put this "rite of passage" event on your calendar next year. The heat always obliges. Until then, come join us on any of our hosted or self paced rides - we have about a dozen of them every week. Go to http://www.austincycling.org/rides. Be sure to read the descriptions to find a ride that runs at your pace; some get pretty intense, others are more mellow. 

 
We help make the roads better for bicycling.
Do you support what we do? Please consider joining 
Bike Austin  or making 
a contribution that's comfortable for you. 
 
Join  ::  Donate
2009 ACA Logo