Cranksgiving Nov 12th at 2 pm at Sip City, 917 Central Ave.
Full Moon Ride Nov 27th at 8 pm at Cheat’s Cheesesteak, 913 Pecan Ave.
CyclingSavvy Dec 1-3
PMTNR Christmas Lights ride Dec 19
As always PMTNR every Tues at 8 pm from Common Market, 2007 Commonwealth Ave.
Come ride with me!
CyclingSavvy workshop – June 23-25
Note: new date on bike overnight – 9/16
Full Moon Ride – July 3rd – 8 pm from Cheat’s Cheesesteak
Fancy Women’s Bike Ride – Sept 17 – 2 pm from Moxie Mercantile
Sub 24 Hour Overnight – Sept 16 – 2 pm
What is it? Here is the link to the Fall 2022 trip to Copperhead Island. This time we’ll camp at McDowell Nature Preserve since Copperhead isn’t available. Let me know if you’re interested and reserve your spot today.
Pedal to Play!
Plan ahead and try to get the full card prizes. Prizes are available for Row and Full cards. You MUST ride your bike to earn stamps and redeem prizes. No purchase necessary but show your Bike Benefis sticker – especially if you make a purchase to get your Bike Benefit. Post pictures of your adventures. Have fun, be respectful and engage others.
You remember how to play Bingo, right? You have to get the full row for a row prize. Horizontal, vertical or diagonal. Then you get a row prize. 6 row prizes max.
Bike!Charlotte event – get your card stamped at the Mayor’s ride or Open Streets 704. At the Mayor’s ride – look for the Bike Advisory Committee members at the tshirt table. They’ll have Bingo cards and you can get it stamped. At Open Streets – look for the Trips for Kids tent or the Trike races. Both tents will have cards and either can stamp it.
Want the full card prize? Redeem for up to 6 prizes. Make sure you look for times/dates of events. For example, Cycling Savvy is May 3-5. You’ll need to be there before class starts to get your card stamped. Plan accordingly. Use the Bike Benefits website on (your laptop or computer) to look up hours for each business. From the bicyclebenefits.org enter the city: Charlotte, then the business name – it will have a pull down menu and you can see a link to the business website.
Find Pam – you’ll need to find Pam riding her bike around Charlotte. Where? She rides all around mostly to Bike Benefits businesses. Sun and Tues excluded. Tip: She’s hosting lots of events on the Bike!Charlotte website – like ride to yoga on Wed. Or you can look on the CSP calendar.
CSP event – This is any event put on by Charlotte Spokes People. Look at the calendar for details. Examples include the Mother’s Day ride on May 12th and the Tour de Sabor on May 19. Show up before the start and get your stamp.
Volunteer at a Bike ride, event or bike shop – Mark a turn, count, make the safety speech at PMTNR or Sunday Ride, volunteer at a bike event during May (Take a picture and post it on fb Charlotte Bicycle Benefits or instagram #bikebenefits, #bikebingo) or volunteer at Trips for Kids or teach someone how to ride a bike. Let’s share the love of biking with someone.
Need a card? They should be at all the spots on the card. If someone runs out, email pamlikestobike@gmail.com and you can have one for free. Thanks for letting me know.
p.s. Remember: You MUST ride your bike to earn stamps and redeem prizes.
April 26 – May 31
Bike Benefits Bingo
Time: Check participating businesses for hours of operation
Who Participates: everyone
Participation Cost: $2/card, $1/card with Bike Benefits sticker
Event Link: https://cltspokespeople.org/bike-benefits-bingo/
Contact: Pamela Murray @ pamlikestobike@gmail.com or https://cltspokespeople.org/
April 28
Sunday Slow Riders ride
The Sunday Slow Riders is a chill 15 mile ride. We meet weekly at 1:45pm at Legion Brewing in Plaza-Midwood to ride at 2 pm. Safety is no accident, so please wear your helmet. We’ll be stopping at a Bike Benefits location so remember to bring your helmet and sticker.
Location: 1906 Commonwealth Ave, Charlotte, North Carolina 28205
Time: 1:45 meet, leave at 2:00 pm (about 2 ½ hours)
Cost: FREE!
Who Participates: Everyone
Contact: Pamela Murray @ pamlikestobike@gmail.com or https://cltspokespeople.org/
April 29
Route Planning Workshop
Learn how to plan a comfortable, low stress route using Ride with GPS, Google Maps, the Virtual Charlotte Map and the Charlotte Bike Map. This will be an interactive workshop. Need a route? We’ll figure one out.
Location: Advent Coworking, 933 Louise Ave.
Time: 6 pm
Cost: FREE!
Who Participates: Everyone
Contact: Pamela Murray @ pamlikestobike@gmail.com or https://cltspokespeople.org/
April 30
Plaza Midwood Tuesday Night Ride
PMTNR is a fun bicycle ride for everyone! Riders meet at the Plaza Midwood Common Market at 7:30PM every Tuesday night. The ride is from 8:00 PM until 10:30 PM and usually covers 15 miles. Expect a crowd! Lights and helmet required. This ride is NEVER cancelled. We’ll be stopping at Bike Gallery which is a Bike Benefits location so remember to bring your helmet and sticker for 10% off accessories.
Location: Common Market, 2007 Commonwealth Ave., 28205
Time: 7:45 pm meet time, leave at 8 pm.
Cost: FREE!
Who Participates: Open to Everyone
Contact: Pamela Murray @ pamlikestobike@gmail.com or https://cltspokespeople.org/
May 3-5
Cycling Savvy 3 part course
The full CyclingSavvy Course INCLUDES Truth & Techniques (classroom session), Train Your Bike (bike handling) session, and our signature on-road experience — Tour of Charlotte. https://cyclingsavvy.org/in-person-courses/
Cost: $95 for the full course. Scholarships available.
Who Participates: Open to Everyone
Contact: Pamela Murray @ pamlikestobike@gmail.com or https://cltspokespeople.org/
May 5
Sunday Slow Riders ride
The Sunday Slow Riders is a chill 15 mile ride. We meet weekly at 1:45pm at Legion Brewing in Plaza-Midwood to ride at 2 pm. Safety is no accident, so please wear your helmet. We’ll be stopping at a Bike Benefits location so remember to bring your helmet and sticker.
Location: 1906 Commonwealth Ave, Charlotte, North Carolina 28205
Time: 1:45 meet, leave at 2:00 pm (about 2 ½ hours)
Cost: FREE!
Who Participates: Everyone
Contact: Pamela Murray @ pamlikestobike@gmail.com or https://cltspokespeople.org/
May 7
Plaza Midwood Tuesday Night Ride
Bikes on a Train ride
PMTNR is a fun bicycle ride for everyone! Riders meet at the Plaza Midwood Common Market at 7:30 PM every Tuesday night. The ride is from 8:00 PM until 10:30 PM and usually covers 15 miles. Expect a crowd! Lights and helmet required. This ride is NEVER cancelled. We’ll be stopping at a Bike Benefits location so remember to bring your helmet and sticker.
This week only. Bikes on CATS is free. 10 and 20 mile ride options this week. You can ride both ways or opt to put your bike on the light rail for one way.
Location: Common Market, 2007 Commonwealth Ave., 28205
Time: 7:45 pm meet time, leave at 8 pm.
Cost: FREE!
Who Participates: Open to Everyone
Contact: Pamela Murray @ pamlikestobike@gmail.com or https://cltspokespeople.org/
May 8
Ride with a Cycling Savvy Instructor – Plaza Midwood to Campbell Creek Park
Experience riding with a Cycling Savvy Instructor using lane control and release. Experience cooperative and mindful bicycling while operating your bicycle as a vehicle. You’ll have 2 hours to either explore the park or join me for yoga at Charlotte East (Y facility) before returning. (Y members free, limited guests spots available) Bring a snack and water bottle. Ride out is 6 miles out and 6 miles back.
Location: Krazy Fish, 2501 Central Ave.
Time: 9:45 am meet, leave at 10 am, arrive at Campbell Creek Park at 10:30, will depart at 12:30.
Cost: FREE!
Who Participates: Everyone
Contact: Pamela Murray @ pamlikestobike@gmail.com or https://cltspokespeople.org/
May 10
Bike Benefits ride to lunch
Ride to lunch and use your Bike Benefits sticker. The group will decide which Bike Benefits business to go to. There are about 200 to choose from. http://cltspok.es/CLTpocketList Need a sticker? Advent has them. $5 each. Stickers never expire and can be used at over 2000 participating locations nationwide.
Location: Advent Coworking, 933 Louise Ave.
Time: 6 pm
Cost: FREE!
Who Participates: Everyone
Contact: Pamela Murray @ pamlikestobike@gmail.com or https://cltspokespeople.org/
May 12
Sunday Slow Riders ride – Mother’s Day
The Sunday Slow Riders is a chill 15 mile ride to the McGill Rose Garden, a Charlotte tradition. We meet weekly at 1:45pm at Gumbo in Plaza-Midwood to ride at 2pm. Safety is no accident, so please wear your helmet.
Location: 1916 Commonwealth Ave.
Time: 1:45 meet, leave at 2:00 pm (about 2 ½ hours)
Cost: FREE!
Who Participates: EveryoneContact: Pamela Murray @ pamlikestobike@gmail.com or https://cltspokespeople.org/
We are so excited to introduce the best thing to hit the Charlotte bike scene since Bike Benefits. Charlotte Bike Benefits Bingo! Bike Bingo is a celebration of Charlotte by bike!
How to Play:
April 26- May 31, ride your bike, collect stamps and win prizes! Request a stamp at each spot upon showing your Bike Benefits sticker*. No purchase necessary – 1 card per person. Register your card at https://cltspok.es/Bingo . Prizes redeemable at listed locations. All trips (including prize redemptions) must be done by bike!
Where: Pick up Bingo cards at any Bike Benefit business on the card or at special events such as Bike!Charlotte events (Mayor’s Ride and Open Streets 704). Cards will be sold for $2 (or $1 with a Bike Benefit sticker) but a limited number will be available at these Bike!Charlotte events.
What: Individuals pick up a $2 Bike Bingo card, then have 5 weeks to bike around the area, attend rides, events and pedal to Bicycle Benefits businesses in order to get their bingo card stamped. Individuals who get 5 in a row or fill their entire card can redeem prizes. All prizes must be redeemed by May 31, 2019.
Post photos @Charlotte Bicycle Benefits on facebook, @Bicycle Benefits, #BikeBingo on Instagram.
A two-wheeled taco tour
Pump up your tires because the first annual Tour de Sabor is happening this spring….and you are invited! Can you bike 20 miles on tacos alone? Well there is only one way to find out.
Guided ride begins at Common Market in Plaza Midwood at 2 pm on Sunday, May 19th. Participants will receive their punch card starting at 1:30 and guided ride rolls out at 2. Speed will average 11-13 miles per hour. If you are rolling with your friends or want to rip a speed record on the 20 mile route as fast as possible, here it is to upload on your phone.
https://cltspok.es/TourdeSabor
The Tour de Sabor is our way of celebrating Charlotte and letting you know that we love it when you ride your bike to our restaurants…once a day, once a month or all year long. Bike for tacos people!
All participants receive
Stops:
https://cltspok.es/tourdesabor
link to punch card order
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tour-de-sabor-a-two-wheeled-taco-tour-tickets-60936555879
event brite link for credit cards
Questions? pamlikestobike@gmail.com
PMTNR 5/12/15
Credit – Kaitlyn Akers
Yes, but let me know a day ahead of time so I can remember to bring it. Bring $5 as a deposit. You’ll get your money back when I get the borrowed light or helmet back.
Every year I review my past year on Chinese New Year. The Chinese New Year is based on the lunar calendar so this year Chinese New Year is Feb. 19th. This is the year of the sheep. I like to see how much I’ve ridden, to reflect, to see what I need to do better or differently. Happy Chinese New Year!
Photo: Jeff Cravotta
Tin Can Annie; Photo: Wesley Johnson
My Inspiration
Please allow me to introduce you to my inspiration. This is a photo of Tin Can Annie. By the wonder of facebook someone posted a picture one day. This is the lady I used to see riding her bike everywhere all the time way back in the early1990s. She was always around Central, Plaza…. Yes, I’ve lived in Plaza Midwood since that time. She rode day, night, rain or shine. And she was always dressed head to toe in orange. She was my inspiration. You never know when someone will see you as their inspiration. Keep riding.
.
Rides
Both of the rides – PMTNR and Sunday Slow Ride are doing well. I’m so glad people show up twice a week to ride. We’ve had some great rides around town. These are my 2 favorite days of the week. Thanks for riding with me if you’ve been and if you haven’t, please join us sometime. We have a 15 mile ride with a 10 mile stop then a 5 mile return. A few times we’ll be a mile or two longer or shorter but that’s the idea. I love that I meet some of the nicest, most interesting people on the rides.
Mileage
Bike Miles 4,669 (last year 4,294)
Car Miles 7,000
Long distance trips 4,500
Around town 2,500
I still haven’t met my goal of 5,000 miles/year on my bike. Maybe next year.
Cumulative bike miles 20,394
My goal is to ride my bike everywhere. This year I remembered to track trip miles for out of town drives so I can see how much I drive around town. I’m surprised it’s still this much but I do drive to the farmer’s market on Yorkmont every weekend since I have to be there early and I’m pressed for time on Saturday. That’s most of the mileage. The rest are running the kids around to the doctor, dentist, birthday parties, etc. I don’t like to drive my car nearly as much as I love to ride my bike.
National Bike Challenge Stats: (May-Sept 2014)
5,281 points
2,241 miles
152 days ridden
#7 rank locally
#1245 rank nationally
Monthly record 489 miles
Best day 42 miles
I don’t consider myself athletic. I just like to ride my bike. I’m surprised I was ranked #7 for the Bike Challenge. A few miles here and there really do add up. You don’t have to ride far or fast just consistently. I think I missed one day during the 5 month challenge. I even rode when I was out of town.
Bike Benefits
My goal for Charlotte Bike Benefits was to be the largest program this year but we didn’t quite make that goal this year. We are #2 – behind Seattle, WA by about 17 businesses. Let me know if you have suggestions for additions to the program. And please ride your bike and support our participating businesses so they’ll continue to be engaged and supportive of bicycling in Charlotte. Please let the participating businesses know that you support them because they are a part of the Bike Benefits program. They need to know it’s a positive draw for them.
Cycling Savvy Charlotte
I taught my first Cycling Savvy class in December. I’ll be scheduling classes regularly. Let me know when you want to take a class and we’ll make it happen. You can now sign up for notifications on the website so you’ll know when the next class is scheduled. Here’s the link. I like to keep the class sizes small (less than 8 people) so everyone can get the most out of the classes. I know everyone says “I know how to ride a bike and don’t need to take a class.” But if you learn one thing to make riding more enjoyable, less stressful and it could save your life, it’s worth it. Just sign up and take the class and take my word for it. You’ll learn a lot. I promise. Riding a bicycle is easy. Riding a bicycle mindfully and courteously makes every ride more enjoyable. Come learn how you can ride anywhere.
BikeFest
BikeFest is planned for Sunday May 3rd. Mark your calendars and save the date. And better yet, help me plan it and be on the inside. Help me make this a great event to help share the joy of bike riding in Charlotte. Planning starts now. You can either help plan or on the day of the event or both. There are lots of opportunities to help support bicycling in Charlotte. Let’s get people on a bike so they can remember the joy they had riding just like the first time they learned to ride long ago. Email me at pamlikestobike at gmail.com if you can help. Thanks in advance.
Thanks!
Thanks for riding with me. Keep inviting your friends to ride with us. We’re filling up the calendar and have events most of the time now. If you didn’t read it, here’s a link to the Year in Review newsletter. As Rocky says, “Ride a Bike!”
We'll draw for prizes at Birdsong at the stop for the Critical Mass ride. Each rider who participated in the Challenge will get tickets based on miles, points, days miles were logged and leadership. Choose which prize(s) you want to win and then we'll draw the winning ticket for each prize.
You can get your tickets before the ride or at Birdsong. Please enter the prize drawings as soon as you get there so we can start drawing for prizes. We should be at Birdsong around 9. And drawings should start at 9:15.
Thanks to the Bike Benefits businesses who donated prizes. We have a prize pool valued at $1800. Thanks to Bart at Queen City Bicycles, Charlotte Bicycle Benefits, Davede Varner, Dilworth Eye Associates, Plaza Midwood Dentistry, Sir Edmond Halley's, Common Market, Birdsong Brewing, Letty's, BikeSource, Good Bottle, EcoLicious, Great Outdoor Provision Company, Dread's Mobile Bike Repair, VeloClean, The Diamond, Harry Johnson and Tony Cam.
| Prize |
| Queen City Bicycles prize kit 1 |
| Queen City Bicycles prize kit 2 |
| Queen City Bicycles prize kit 3 |
| Queen City Bicycles prize kit 4 |
| Queen City Bicycles prize kit 5 |
| Queen City Bicycles prize kit 6 |
| Plaza Midwood Dentistry dental cleaning |
| Dilworth Eye – comprehensive exam |
| Espada service gift certificate |
| Framed print |
| Davede Varner -Massage |
| Eagles Nest Doublenest hammock |
| Dread tune up |
| Dread tune up |
| Dread tune up |
| Sir Ed's gift cert |
| Brooks wrench |
| CM gift cert & Buddha dashboard cat |
| VeloClean gift cert |
| VeloClean gift cert |
| Growler w/free refill, pint glass,pint koozy |
| BikeSource gift card |
| Letty's gift cert |
| Good Bottle Hat, t shirt and sticker |
| EcoLicious gift cert |
| Floor Pump |
| Cyclometer |
| Chain |
| Chain |
| Diamond Gift card |
| Diamond Gift Card |
| Bell |
| Lube |
| Lube |
| Speed lever |
| Speed lever |
| Speed lever |
| Speed lever |
Please join me in welcoming the last 10 businesses who have signed up for Bicycle Benefits.
Check the new interactive map and pocket list on the website.