Thursday Video Fun

HIDDEN LAKES OF MOONSHINE from SHOW UP on Vimeo.

Now get off the internet and go ride your bike!

Happy Fourth Of July

Happy birthday America.

Major Taylor George Street Hill Climb

Barney’s Bicycle and the Seven Hills Wheelmen present:

The seventh annual
GEORGE STREET BIKE CHALLENGE for MAJOR TAYLOR … an uphill time trial …

Sunday, July 27, 2008
10:00 a.m.
Main & George streets
downtown Worcester, Mass.

See how fast you can pedal up one of Worcester’s steepest hills, a 500-foot quad-buster where “the Worcester Whirlwind,” 1899 world cycling champion Major Taylor, used to train. The average grade is 18 percent.

Open to ages 12 and up.
Entry fee $15.
Helmets required.
One rider at a time against the clock.

Got a minute? Check it out on video! (The video is only a few seconds longer than it takes to actually bike up the hill.)

QuickTime:

Windows Media Player:

REGISTER ONLINE

Race-day registration: 8:30-9:45 a.m.
First rider starts at 10:00 sharp.
Medals will be awarded in various age categories for males and females, plus a tandem category.

Proceeds benefit the Major Taylor Association, Inc., which put up a statue of Taylor in May 2008 at the Worcester Public Library in Salem Square — the city’s first monument to an African-American. Proceeds will help MTA continue to educate people about Major Taylor’s life and legacy and to support the library’s statue maintenance fund.

BIKE RAFFLE! $5 per chance.
Win a 24-speed Giant OCR3 road bike from Barney’s, or a custom, limited-edition Major Taylor cycling jersey, or other cool stuff. Prize list and raffle tickets (click here)

You can order raffle tickets online or by mail: $5 per chance, or three for $12, or six for $20. Or get them at Barney’s Bicycle, 165 Chandler St., Worcester. Prize drawing will be approximately 1:00 p.m. July 27, at the conclusion of the George Street Bike Challenge. You do NOT have to be present to win.

Major Taylor cycling jerseys ($79):

Major Taylor books & posters:

WHO WAS MAJOR TAYLOR? Marshall W. “Major” Taylor (1878-1932) of Worcester was the world’s first black sports superstar. Known as “the Worcester Whirlwind” and “the colored cyclone,” he was world cycling champion in 1899, American sprint champion in 1900, and broke numerous track cycling records, at a time when cycling was more popular than baseball. He was the second black world champion in any sport (after bantamweight boxer George Dixon in 1891). He had to fight Jim Crow prejudice just to get on the starting line, and he faced closed doors and open hostility with dignity.
The Major Taylor Association is dedicated to honoring his athletic achievements and strength of character — sportsmanship, devotion to God, caring for those less fortunate, and personal struggle for equality.

More information, including last year’s results:

Barney’s Bicycle, 508-799-BIKE (799-2453)

Whirlwind Sponsor: Puma
Pacesetter Sponsors: Standard Auto; AdventureCORPS Media sponsors: Worcester Telegram & Gazette; Charter Communications

Printer-friendly event flier:

Hill profile:

Map:

New this year:
Garden Fresh Courthouse Cafe is open at the foot of the hill. (menu)
I recommend their performance-enhancing muffins and cookies.

Moving Together Conference 2008

Save The Date…
October 14, 2008
Courtyard by Marriott Tremont Hotel
275 Tremont St
Boston, MA

Moving Together 2008. Bicycling and walking are becoming increasingly visible and important across the country as well as across the Commonwealth. The invited keynote speaker, Gabe Rousseau, Ph.D, National Bicycle and Pedestrian Program Manager for the Federal Highway Administration, will provide his timely perspective on current initiatives and trends. Based in Washington DC, Rousseau draws upon his extensive experience with the Federal government as well as work with the States. Moving Together’s workshops and exhibits feature up-to-date information that help you to improve bicycling and walking conditions locally, regionally and statewide.

The $40 conference registration fee includes a continental breakfast, refreshments, lunch, and conference materials. For registration information contact: Baystate Roads Program, tel: (413) 545-2604, or register on-line. Please note that registration is limited, so register early to secure your place.

More info here.

Monday Video Roundup

Here are some nice videos to get your week going.

More Below

Read more »

Help AB-Bikes Help Kids

Got this from AB-Bikes (if you are not familiar with them check out their sweet blog here).

Dear select contacts in the Boston cycling and cycling retail communities:

A-B bikes is assisting with soliciting donations of bikes (in ANY condition) for a bike apprenticeship program that is planned for this fall to be offered through an after school program called Citizen Schools at the Edison Middle School in Brighton Center.

If you’re interested in learning more, please see the posting here.

DotBike In Bicycling Magazine!

Got this great email today. I helped to start DotBike (and BostonBiker.org provides them with their website) so I am pretty proud to see them in Bicycling Magazine!

Got this email today.

Hi all,

We knew that Steve Madden, the editor of Bicycling magazine,
is from Dorchester and that the magazine had routinely ranked Boston as
one of the worst cycling cities in the country, so Debbie said “let’s
send Steve a shirt to let him know that we’re trying and besides he’ll
love the shirt”.  So she did.

We came home yesterday to the new issue of Bicycling magazine in our mailbox
and in a sidebar of Steve’s editorial there was this - and I quote:

“There was a time when to ride a bike in Dorchester,
Massachusetts, my hometown, was to take your life into your hands. Not
anymore, thanks to the hardworking advocates at dotbike.org, who are
making the streets of Boston’s coolest neighborhood safe for things
besides hockey and loitering. Cool T-shirts, too.”
Steve Madden August Issue Bicycling Magazine

So thanks Steve and Bicycling magazine for the shout out, Andrew and
Urban Adventours for helping us with the shirts and Debbie for the
fantastic idea to send Steve a shirt.

And for those of you who aren’t bike geeks like us this magazine is by far the most popular bicycing magazine around with a circulation of 410000 (according to their site). 

And by the way, a couple of issues ago in their annual Best Biking Cities piece Boston
was no longer grouped with the worst but instead was given an “Heading in the right direction - future best” designation. We don’t think that the t-shirt had anything to do with this but you never know.

cheers,

Andy

Ride With The Special Olympics

Plan a day on the North Shore!  Now’s the time to sign up to join Special Olympics biking athletes and other Special Olympics MA supporters at the 2008 Ride with the Champions.   Register at www.ridewiththechampions.org.  Choose from 3 courses: Metric Century (62 miles), 20 miles, or 12 miles. Don’t have a bike? Rent one! Rentals available on site from UrbanAdventours. 

This event is completely new and improved for 2008. There is a new starting/ending location right on Rte 1 in Topsfield with a family-friendly Olympic Village atmosphere including free food and beverages. The course is FULLY supported through scenic Cape Ann on the North Shore. 

The fundraising minimum is only $300, and there is a $50 registration fee.   Fundraising incentives include tshirts, bike socks, water bottles, jerseys and EMS gift cards.

Click here now to register as a Rider and receive a free fundraising webpage. All proceeds raised help fund equipment, uniforms, and year-round training for your local-area Special Olympics Massachusetts athletes. Not only will you enjoy the fresh air and scenery of a fall day on Boston’s North Shore, you will help raise important funds necessary to continue the important work done by Special Olympics Massachusetts.

Film: Free Showing Of Contested Streets

Do you ever think about what city life was like prior to the introduction of the automobile? Curious to know how creative cities are reclaiming streets from cars and converting them into engaging public spaces?

Come find out what a car-dominated city like New York can learn from iconic metropolis’ like London, Copenhagen and Paris in a *free* showing of “Contested Streets, Breaking New York City Gridlock” with your Livable Streets Alliance pals!

Date & Time: Tuesday, July 1st, 7:00pm-8:30pm
Location: LivableStreets Alliance Office
100 Sydney Street, Cambridge MA, 02139

Movie running time is 57 mins.

Free & open to the public, $5.00 donation suggested, beer/sodas provided compliments of Harpoon Brewery

Friday Video Fun

Here is a little bit of fun to get your Friday going.

trailer for FUMIKIRI from JAN on Vimeo.

Untitled from james newman on Vimeo.

Untitled from james newman on Vimeo.

more below

Read more »