- Troy Bike Rescue Anniversary Gathering – Sat, 5/7, 5:00 PM (Sanctuary for Independent Media) http://troybikerescue.tk/
- Albany County Helderberg Hudson Rail Trail Ride (Mohawk Hudson Cycling Club) – Sat, 5/7, 9:30 am http://www.mohawkhudsoncyclingclub.org/calendar/rides/2016/05/07/helderberg-hudson-rail-trail-bike-nature
- CDTC Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee – Tue, 5/10, 9:00-11:30 AM, Saratoga Springs City Hall. http://www.cdtcmpo.org/
- City of Albany 2016 Spring Bicycle Count – Tue, 5/10 and Thr, 5/12. Two shifts/day – 7:00-9:00 AM and 3:30-5:30 PM. Email Mary Brady mt05brad@siena.edu with preferred date(s), time(s), and location(s). http://www.albanysustainability.org/
- Bicycle Fixit Stations at Albany Public Libraries – Press Conference/Ribbon Cutting, Fri, 5/13, 9:30 AM. https://albanybicyclecoalition.com/
- Ride of Silence – Wed, 5/18, (national date). Two Starting Points: 6:00 PM – Boat launch, Corning Riverfront Park and 6:30 PM – W. Capitol Park & Washington Ave. Non-riding supporters meet at the corner of Western Ave., Homestead, and University Pl. Contact Claire – cbnolou@gmail.com, http://www.rideofsilence.org/locations-domestic.php?s=NY#NY
- Bike to Work Day Challenge and Bike to Work Day – Friday, May 20. http://capitalmoves.org/b2w518/ Registration form https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1kPSJbdb03Lc4QHsEM_pfrf5EwKkYF3lX3fo6hcRlD60/viewform
- “Cycle the Sam” Troy Community Bicycle Ride – Sun, 5/22, 12:00 PM, Capital Roots, 594 River St., Troy. All skill levels are welcome. http://www.capitalroots.org/ , http://www.transporttroy.com/ , or contact Erin – healthycommunities@capitalroots.org
- Northeastern New York Regional Bike Conference – Sun, 5/22, 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm. http://nybc.net/
- ABC Meeting – Thr, 5/26, 7:00 PM, LaSalle School Dining Hall. https://albanybicyclecoalition.com/
- Uncle Sam Trail Historical and Nature Walk – Sat, 6/4, Troy. www.transporttroy.com and http://www.capitalroots.org/
- Hudson Valley Regional Bike Conference – Sat, 6/4, Kingston. http://nybc.net/
- Tour de Cure – Ride Marshalls and Techs Needed – Sun, 6/5, 2,500 riders. The ride needs Route Marshalls to guide the five rides and for “mechanics” to perform basic, simple adjustments. (Bicycle shop staff will handle complex issues.) Contact Brent – bmp4sw@gmail.com
- Albany County Helderberg Hudson Rail Trail Ride (Mohawk Hudson Cycling Club) – Sat, 6/11, 9:30 am. http://www.mohawkhudsoncyclingclub.org/calendar/rides/2016/06/11/helderberg-hudson-rail-trail-bethlehem-waterfront
- Grafton Rocks MTB – 6/11, Grafton State Park (Saratoga Mountain Biking Association) (http://saratogamtb.org/) – mountain biking festival, family friendly, group rides, demos, classes. ABC will have a booth – can you help? Contact Rob – rob@uhls.lib.ny.us
- Cycle the Sam Community Bike ride with the Collar City Ramble – Sat, 9/24. www.transporttroy.com, http://www.capitalroots.org/ or contact Erin – healthycommunities@capitalroots.org
Tag Archives: Comings and Goings
What’s Goin’ On?
Filed under Bike Month, Comings and Goings, Events, Rides
Healthy is the New Sexy*
What does that have to do with chili?
In any case, after a morning of hard work on one of the Albany Bicycle Coalition’s many grants, a small group adjourned to Healthily on Lark for a delicious lunch. Hostess/owner/chef Sharon greeted us warmly and we followed her suggestion of the day’s special – vegetarian chili (accompanied by toast, tea, coffee, and Albany H2O). Since it was a chilly day and two of our company were on bicycles, Sharon even set up an electric heater near our table.
Bottom line – shop local for a great lunch at Healthy on Lark.
For more local favorites, go here. If you do, be sure to note that TapAsia is now open!
(*For the sexy part, go here.)
Filed under City Review
Every Day is a Good Day
What better way to recover from a hot day of doing user counts on the Erie Canalway Trail/Mohawk-Hudson Bike-Hike Trail than a hot coffee and a snicker doodle at the Brakes on Lark?
Trail Count & Survey
After the sun shifts a little, the outdoor seating is a perfect spot to (see earlier post) to capture some images for Albany Bicycle Coalition’s“riding in Albany” scrapbook.
Patio at Brakes
But wait – just when leaving Brakes, who should appear but Natalie, the owner/chef at Tapasia – an Asian tapas soon to open on the lower level in the Brakes building. Natalie described her riding experiences in Chicago where she lived for some time – and contrasted them with the scary situation she found in Albany – riding to the HWFC, Trader Joes, Whole Foods, and so on. Natalie was enthusiastic about the Madison Avenue Traffic Calming Protected Bicycle Lanes project, as it will help her new venture.
Never idle, Natalie and husband – who has extensive experience riding in Burlington with its pedestrian “mall” on Church St. and who asked when Lark St. would be car free – stopped at the Protected Bicycle Lane Coalition sign-up table in front of Upstate Artists Guild on 1st Friday.
Protected Lane Sign Up – Have You?
UAG hosted the Protected Bicycle Lane Coalition booth on both the 7/3 and 7/7 1st Fridays as part of its community support mission and to enhance walk ability of the City of Albany.
But wait again – Brakes is now complemented by the new Healthy on Lark vegan restaurant (in the old ‘Lil Buddha spot). At both spots, you’ll find great food and a pleasant atmosphere.
Healthy on Lark
Sharon, the owner/chef at Healthy on Lark is no newcomer to healthy living with this expansive mission: “Healthy In A Hurry” motivates and supports clients to define a personal vision of optimum health and begin living the life they truly crave. We assist you to turn off auto-pilot and make conscious daily choices that impact your health: food choices, exercise routines, self-care choices, and sleep habits.”
But wait some more – The well-established Hudson River Coffee House at Quail and Hudson is now branching to Delaware Ave. in the former Tierra/Ultra Violet site next to one of Albany’s gems, the Spectrum 8 Theater. Once again, a nice dinner with a movie to follow will make a nice “evening out.” Hudson River Coffee House opened in 2010. Owner/operator Anton Pasquill, who expressed enthusiasm about coming to Delaware, will bring his years of experience to remodel and operate the new location. He even bought a motor vehicle!
It’s just too much to absorb . . .
Filed under Editorial, First Friday
Where’d you get that bike?
Where bicycles are made:
- 130,000,000 – Produced globally in 2007
- 67% produced in China
- 56,000 produced in USA
- 99% of bicycles sold in USA in 2013 were imports (16.2 million bicycles)
Top 5 producers:
- China
- India
- EU
- Taiwan
- Japan
Sources: Various as reported in Momentum, May-Jun 2015
Filed under Bike Tech
Tips from the “Land Down Under”
Catherine Deveny’s 5 Tips For Stylish Cycling, By Claire Wilson @styleshespoke, February 28, 2014
SOURCE: http://styleshespoke.com/719/catherine-devenys-5-tips-for-stylish-cycling/
Intro – Melbourne comedian Catherine Deveny only started riding seriously in 2010 when she got what she describes as an “old Dutch grandmother style bike.” She says that this bike changed her life, not only because it made her want to ride, but because it made her want to find gorgeous frocks to go with it.
She prefers to cruise about town in 1940s inspired floral, accessorised in red to go with her polka dot panniers and black Lekker step-through.
To the ever-pragmatic Catherine Deveny, however, cycle style is less about what you are wearing and more about how you act on the road – a sentiment that I applaud wholeheartedly. So, without further adieu, here are Ms Deveny’s 5 tips for stylish cycling [Ed: #3 is the best]:
5. Look hot – It is a simple truth that when you look hot people are going to notice you faster, which is excellent news if you want to be seen by drivers.
4. Be predictable – Use hand signals, get into the turning lane early, and just generally let other road users know what you are up to. A confused driver will get flustered and angry whereas one who can tell what you are doing (and gets a smile and a wave of thanks into the bargain) will have a smile on their face.
3. Assume you’re invisible – It’s undeniably true that bikes are harder to spot than cars, so it’s safest to assume that other road users probably haven’t seen you. For me this translates to keeping my hand on the brake lever at all times and a constant eye on the road conditions.
2. Maintain your line – Swerving all about the place is going to contradict rule #4, it is also going to freak out drivers in much the same way as a herd of kangaroos – you just don’t know when one of those things is going to smack into your bonnet. Choose a line, signal your intention, and don’t change your mind.
1. Own the road – It’s official, bike riders have every right to own their lane. While this doesn’t mean obstinately riding in the middle of the road wherever you go, it does mean riding in the middle of the lane when you believe it would be unsafe for a car to pass you or where the risk of being car doored is high. If you have stuck to rule #5 and look hot then any driver shouldn’t mind cruising behind you for a while.
SOURCE: http://styleshespoke.com/719/catherine-devenys-5-tips-for-stylish-cycling/
Filed under City Review, Editorial
Albany Bicycle Coalition 