Biking

You are currently browsing articles tagged Biking.

8 Great College Biking Programs: Free Bikes, Rentals, even Valet Bike Parking

May 18, 2009 in Biking, Eco-Travel, Go Green, Save Energy, Saving Money, Uncategorized by susan | 2 comments

By Susan Seliger

College campuses are launching a variety of innovative programs to get students to kick the car habit and take up biking. Motivations for these greening efforts vary – some schools are running out of parking spaces. Others want to encourage healthy living to help students ward off that “Freshman 15” – a weight gain that, despite its name, can carry over into senior year. And still others say giving bikes the edge over cars is an easy way to lower the school’s carbon footprint and keep the campus green and beautiful.

1. Nothing beats free: The University of New England and Ripon College in Wisconsin are giving free bikes to every new student who agrees not to bring a car on campus. At Ripon, David Joyce, the president of the college, who is such a bike enthusiast that he builds bikes in his basement, has thrown in a free helmet, lights and a bike lock along with the Trek 820 mountain bike – which students get to keep.

2. Rent a bike: St. Xavier University in Chicago launched a bike-sharing system that allows students to unlock and pay for the bikes with a wave of their ID card (costs about $2.50 an hour).

3. Biking made easy and secure – valet parking?: Stanford University has set up bike racks with space for over 12,000 bikes all over campus – and they offer valet bike parking for special events such as the Cardinals home football games.

4. Free Bikes and more: The University of New England is giving not only free bikes to Freshman who promise not to bring cars on campus, but they also offer free Zipcars and free downtown shuttle service and discounted taxi or limo service.

5. Recycling bikes: Mercer University in Macon, Ga., is refurbishing old bikes for students – and painting them orange and black, the university colors.

6. Discounts and Free Rentals: Emory University in Atlanta launched Bike Emory, in August 2007, and works with local bike shops to provide bikes that students can rent and ride for free — or buy their own at discounts. Students also get a free helmet, lock and taillight. And if you don’t want to go to class all sweaty after the bike ride, no problem. Emory has installed showers in buildings and added bike racks to its free campus shuttle buses.

7. Bike-sharing– check out a book or a bike: Ohio State University lets students check out a Schwinn Heavy Duty Cruiser for 48 hours from the recreational center just as easily as they can walk into their library and check out a book.

8. Commuter Bikes for Free: Michael Zane, founder and former president of Kryptonite Locks, donated 96 commuter bicycles to his alma mater, Franklin & Marshall College, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

MORE, MORE, MORE…
To find out what you can do to keep your bike from getting stolen – or to recover it if it is, register your bike at the The National Bike Registry.

For more info on biking on college campuses, check out Bicycling Magazine’s article
and this New York Times round-up: With Free Bikes, Challenging Car Culture on Campus

Photo credit: www.washington.edu

Tags: , ,

New York City Kicks Off Bike Month in May with Biggest Cycling Event in the US

May 12, 2009 in Biking, Eco-Travel, Healthy Living, Uncategorized by susan | No comments

By Susan Seliger

May is biking month in New York City – and this traffic-choked town kicked off the celebrations last weekend with The 5-Boro Bike Tour, the largest recreational cycling event in the United States.

I was there, May 3, 2009, for all 40+ miles. Just me and 30,0000 other bikers, who showed up, despite the wind, the cold and the rain that pelted us mercilessly every turn of the wheel.

Now usually this bike race is one of the most exhilarating biking adventures imaginable. It is well-organized — the city shuts down auto traffic on a 40-mile path stretching through all five boroughs of the city and turns the streets over to the bikers. There’s no better feeling than pedaling along wide roads that you usually see filled with honking, tail-gating, belching autos now packed with cyclists to make you feel alive and eco-virtuous.

And before I tell you about this year’s race — I recommend everyone sign up for it next year. Keep this web address handy as you have to register to ride and it fills up fast: http://www.bikenewyork.org

This year, however, it was wet, and cold, and windy and rainy. In short, miserable biking conditions. And did I mention, wet? But the race proceeds, rain or shine. So nearly 30,000 of us – some on bicycles built for two, some parents towing babies behind in covered carts,(I coveted those covered carts) and even a few unicycles — cycled from the base of Manhattan, up through the Bronx, down the FDR drive over the 59th Street Bridge into Queens, down through Brooklyn and into the home stretch up the straight-uphill climb of the Verrazzano Bridge into Staten Island.

Usually there are many fun rest stops along the way, to munch on snacks provided by sponsors of the race, and rest up on green hillsides before moving on. This year, however, the rest stops offered no shelter from the foul weather – unless you count the port-a-potties, which I do not. . My biking buddy and I decided we would just press on – so we stopped only once, for 20 minutes to eat a soggy sandwich. That may be why by the time we reached the home stretch my body was drenched, (plastic ponchos have a way of lifting up as you ride to welcome the rain), my sneakers were making squishy, water-logged noises, and my knees were screaming for mercy with every pedal-stroke.

But it’s a great feeling to watch motorists stream by (on the other side of the highway that was not closed off) watching all the cyclists and being reminded that there is another way to travel. Ok, maybe not in the rain – and maybe they were just thinking we were nuts to be out there in the rain, but still…

This is one thing I know… you won’t find a parade of 60,000 more amazing calf muscles than I saw last weekend anywhere else on earth. Or 30,000 crazier but indomitable biking spirits.

Tags: , , ,

5 Great Ways to Enjoy Nature on Earth Day: Bike, Hike, Ride a Horse

April 17, 2009 in Biking, Go Green, Healthy Living, Save Resources, Uncategorized by susan | No comments

By Susan Seliger

Get outside and enjoy the beauty of nature on Earth Day. Are you willing to venture further than your backyard, but you don’t know where to go? Here are some cool tools and great resources to help you rediscover the wonder of it all.

1. Visit a nature preserve: The Nature Conservancy has a cool tool – just click on their map or the state-by-state listing and discover a nature preserve near you.

2. Take a hike: The Localhikes web site provides information on local hiking opportunities near both large and small metropolitan areas in the United States.

3. Go hiking, biking and backpacking: Trails.com will help you find the places to go whether you travel on two legs or two wheels.

4. Biking and/or horsebackriding in the US: Rails to trails Conservancy is a great resource for biking trails and an organization devoted to converting old, unused rail lines into wonderful biking, hiking and horsebackriding trails. Check out Trail Link.

5. Scenic Drives: If you have elderly relatives who are not up to a strenuous walk, but still want to enjoy the beauty of nature, take a look at these lists of scenic drives and scenic byways will help. Get into that electric vehicle or hybrid (we know you have one), roll down the windows and see what nature has to offer.

Top 10 Scenic Drives on Gorp.

US Dept. of Transportation.

Scenic drives on Trails.com.

Photo credit: www.BecomeNatural.com

Tags: , , , , ,