Bike Month is May. It’s a little late to really get much going but Linda and Jen are trying. Linda and I met with Joel Ristau this morning and then Scott, Jen, Linda, and I met with Becky from the Lewiston Chamber. I’m sure Linda will be prosing the club join both the Chamber and the League. So board members and club members send us your thoughts.
Meetings today
We’ll talk about the specifics of national bike month at our April 3 meeting at Carol’s. Please check out the attached file to see our safety committee ideas and goals for our group… and TRC. The committee needs to ask the board for funding for: $105 to join Chamber, and $55 to join League of American Cyclists
Joel Ristau: Asotin County Roads
· Bike Signs: signs on Fleshman way and at the boat launch not a good idea. Cyclists need to follow rules of the road first and more signs won’t increase safety. Signs on the state road system that might indicate a place to cross the highway to the bike path such as at Critchfield road may be possible. The State and county are very aware of the increase awareness of access to other types of transportation. Keep in mind that bike paths are in the long range plans of the state and the county.
· Contact Ronnie Mock: State road person for letters about bike issues, questions about bike routes crossing state roads etc.
· Long range plan is for bike path to extend west of Clarkston
Becky Fuller: Lewiston Chamber of Commerce www.lewistonchamber.org
· Membership for non profit would be $105/year. This offers our club:
o Exposure and education to the larger community in a more professional way via: newsletter, website (paid ad) flyers in monthly members packet, speaking at Good Morning Lewiston or Business after hours. It might be hard to justify joining a business partnership such as the Chamber of Commerce but this kind of exposure would give our non profit club a chance to speak to our larger goal of a more bike friendly community by business possibly supporting expansion of bike routes in the city, more bike racks, trails, support for club rides or charity events.
o I have requested to speak at Good Morning Lewiston Breakfast meeting April 4 at 7am Old Country Buffet for 2 minutes. I am to fill our the chamber membership form and give to her before the meeting. We can have other club members, attend in club jersey’s and hand out the information flyer
o Chamber can help us market events and education: offered help for bike club rides such as charity ride for Sherry Cole
o May is National Bike Month; Becky loved this idea. She enthusiastically encouraged us to present this for businesses to take part in. I gave her the attached flyer for clubs Bike Month plan… I suggested we tie in the May 24 Easy Does it Ride as a good day for the Bike shops to offer a Bike Festival at their business or at the Clarkston corps parking lot before or after the May 24 10 am ride.
o We could buy an ad in the newsletter or on the website… request help from St. Joes/Regence or Gold Gym ($300) that would run all year.
o The chamber would offer a ribbon cutting information article in the chamber monthly newsletter at no cost when we join.
Joining the League of American Cyclists $55/yr
1. Protect the rights of cyclists: Share the Road campaign to make sure cyclists are welcomed and respected out on the road.
2. Provide education programs: Through our bike education program - BikeEd - we teach cyclists and motorist life-saving skills. Our national network of League Cycling Instructors set the standard in bicycle education and safety for children and adults.
3. Create better cycling environments: As the leading voice for cyclists in Washington, DC we advocate for more bicycle-friendly environments. Working with state and local bike advocacy organizations through events such as the National Bike Summit® we education Congress on the benefits cycling and the needs of cyclists.
4. 4. We promote cycling as the option of choice: We introduce cycling to countless Americans each year, especially during National Bike Month and on Bike-to-Work Day. We believe sharing our passion for cycling with others is one of the best ways to create a bicycle-friendly America.
5. Help create bicycle friendly communities: When you join you’ll have the good feeling of knowing that you’re playing a crucial role in creating bicycle friendly communities. Town by town and city by city we are transforming how America moves.
If you’re a cyclist, you should be a member
Join today. |
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Some engineering students at Rowan University in New Jersey are developing a way to harness bicycle-pedal power to run a small grain crusher.It’s latest effort I’ve read about in the ongoing attempts at many colleges and nongovernmental agencies to jump-start small-scale economies in developing nations where electricity is scarce and expensive.
