bike


Bike!Charlotte 2019

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/

  • Truth & Techniques (classroom session, no bike needed): 4 PM to 7 PM Friday, Fri, May 3 at Advent Coworking, 933 Louise Ave #101, Charlotte, NC 28204.
  • Train Your Bike (parking lot skills session): 2-5 pm PM Saturday, May 4, 2019, at 1510 East 7th Street (parking lot, St. Martin’s Episcopal Church)
  • Tour of Charlotte: 1-4 PM Sunday,May 5, 2019. We’ll start from and return to the parking lot in front of Okra Yoga at 1912 Commonwealth Avenue.

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/


Bike Benefits Bingo

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!

Front of card

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.  



Happy Chinese New Year 1

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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

 

 

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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.

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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!”