How about THAT for Bike Month?! We admit…most of our events were Harrisonburg-heavy. There’s room for improvement. After all, we are the SHENANDOAH VALLEY Bicycle Coalition.
When I started in this position at the beginning of the year, one of my goals was to expand our programming and services throughout the Valley (I’m looking at you, Waynesboro, Staunton, Augusta, Rockingham, Dayton, Bridgewater!).
We are planning a SUMMER ICE CREAM RIDE SERIES, among a few other summer series, to be released in the coming weeks. Can you help me plan the perfect route in your town? Tell me your favorite local ice cream spot. Who are the people that would love to come?
There were endless highlights and memories etched into my heart during Bike Month. The good, the hard. Like…
- The five-year-old boy who received a helmet at the Bike Rodeo and then did his FIRST RIDE on the road with his big sister to Bike Everywhere Day.
- A Sunday afternoon with 30 curious riders, with Bluestone Bike and Run, Rocktown Bicycles, Ben Wyse and the Friendly City Food Co-op, learning to care for their bike, and the handful who I later passed on the road as we both enjoyed a sunny ride.
- The emotions of the Ride of Silence hearing from a friend who lost someone incredibly dear to them to a reckless driver.
- Jamming to Taylor Swift during the Ice Cream Ride as over 75 of my new friends rode through town (talk about a cool feeling!) (even though..*hot take* I’m not typically a T-Swift listener, it was requested by the 8 y/o girl riding by my side)
- During Bike to School Day, we rolled through Lee Ave, scooping families up for their first-ever ride to Waterman Elem. Yet, being at Pale Fire the day before for our conversation with Evan Friss and Jakob zumFelde, I heard from families how there are NO safe ways they can walk and bike to school. It was a hard reminder of how much work there is to do.
- Ok a *bonus*: The BIG ideas our new hirer, Ben Wyse, brings to every meeting – watch OUT y’all.
Thank you for joining us this month, we’d love to learn about your favorite memory!
