 |
Features & Articles : On your Bike! May is National Bike Month
By Andy Clarke
page 3
What Can I Do During Bike Month?
1. Get on your bike! Drag your bike out of the garage and take it
to bike shop for a tune up. If you haven't ridden for a while, start
with something simple like a trip to the local stores or a ride
along a trail in your neighborhood. Visit www.railtrails.org
for trail information. www.bikestore.com
has information on riding techniques, bike maintenance and every
other aspect of bicycling.
2. Join your local advocacy group or riding club. More than 40 statewide
and regional advocacy groups make up the Thunderhead
Alliance, and every one of them is working hard to improve conditions
for bicycling. The
League of American Bicyclists has a membership that includes
hundreds of recreational bike clubs. Many of these organizations
will be arranging bike month or bike to work activities in May.
3. Contact your local or state bicycle coordinator. Every state
and many cities have a staff person working specifically on bicycle
programs. They will likely know of any local events during May and
also of any other important developments in your community. For
example, perhaps your city or state is developing a bicycle plan
or implementing a bike safety program that needs your input and
support. Find your state
bicycle coordinator. Visit state
and local bicycle program sites.
4. Meet with your elected representatives at the local, state and
national level to see what they are doing to make it easier and
safer to bicycle. Locate your member of Congress at www.congress.org
and visit www.house.gov/blumenauer/bike.html
to see if he or she is a member of the Congressional Bike Caucus.
5. Have fun! Bicycling is a great activity that is inexpensive,
healthy, environmental, energy-efficient, and above all, enormous
fun. Ride safely.
|